Carotid β-stiffness index is associated with slower processing speed but not working memory or white matter integrity in healthy middle-aged/older adults

Lyndsey E DuBose; Michelle W Voss; Timothy B Weng; James D Kent; Kaitlyn M Dubishar; Abbi Lane-Cordova; Gardar Sigurdsson; Phillip Schmid; Patrick B Barlow; Gary L Pierce

doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00769.2016

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Carotid β-stiffness index is associated with slower processing speed but not working memory or white matter integrity in healthy middle-aged/older adults

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Carotid β-stiffness index is associated with slower processing speed but not working memory or white matter integrity in healthy middle-aged/older adults

Lyndsey E DuBose, Michelle W Voss, Timothy B Weng, James D Kent, Kaitlyn M Dubishar, Abbi Lane-Cordova, Gardar Sigurdsson, Phillip Schmid, Patrick B Barlow and Gary L Pierce

Journal of applied physiology (1985), Vol.122(4), pp.868-876

04/01/2017

DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00769.2016

PMCID: PMC5407200

PMID: 28126907

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Abstract

Aging is associated with increased carotid artery stiffness, a predictor of incident stroke, and reduced cognitive performance and brain white matter integrity (WMI) in humans. Therefore, we hypothesized that higher carotid stiffness/lower compliance would be independently associated with slower processing speed, higher working memory cost, and lower WMI in healthy middle-aged/older (MA/O) adults. Carotid β-stiffness ( < 0.001) was greater and compliance ( < 0.001) was lower in MA/O ( = 32; 64.4 ± 4.3 yr) vs. young ( = 19; 23.8 ± 2.9 yr) adults. MA/O adults demonstrated slower processing speed (27.4 ± 4.6 vs. 35.4 ± 5.0 U/60 s, < 0.001) and higher working memory cost (-15.4 ± 0.14 vs. -2.2 ± 0.05%, < 0.001) vs. young adults. Global WMI was lower in MA/O adults ( < 0.001) and regionally in the frontal lobe ( = 0.020) and genu ( = 0.009). In the entire cohort, multiple regression analysis that included education, sex, and body mass index, carotid β-stiffness index (B = -0.53 ± 0.15 U, = 0.001) and age group (B = -4.61 ± 1.7, = 0.012, adjusted = 0.4) predicted processing speed but not working memory cost or WMI. Among MA/O adults, higher β-stiffness (B = -0.60 ± 0.18, = 0.002) and lower compliance (B = 0.93 ± 0.26, = 0.002) were associated with slower processing speed but not working memory cost or WMI. These data suggest that greater carotid artery stiffness is independently and selectively associated with slower processing speed but not working memory among MA/O adults. Carotid artery stiffening may modulate reductions in processing speed earlier than working memory with healthy aging in humans. Previously, studies investigating the relation between large elastic artery stiffness, cognition, and brain structure have focused mainly on aortic stiffness in aged individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors and other comorbidities. This study adds to the field by demonstrating that the age-related increases in carotid artery stiffness, but not aortic stiffness, is independently and selectively associated with slower processing speed but not working memory among middle-aged/older adults with low cardiovascular disease risk factor burden.

Body Mass Index

Humans

Middle Aged

Male

Memory, Short-Term - physiology

Frontal Lobe - physiology

Young Adult

Compliance - physiology

Aging - physiology

Vascular Stiffness - physiology

Carotid Arteries - physiology

Cognition - physiology

Female

White Matter - physiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Carotid β-stiffness index is associated with slower processing speed but not working memory or white matter integrity in healthy middle-aged/older adults
Creators: Lyndsey E DuBose - Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa
Michelle W Voss - Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa
Timothy B Weng - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa
James D Kent - Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa
Kaitlyn M Dubishar - Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa
Abbi Lane-Cordova - Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa
Gardar Sigurdsson - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa
Phillip Schmid - Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Patrick B Barlow - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa
Gary L Pierce - Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of applied physiology (1985), Vol.122(4), pp.868-876
DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00769.2016
PMID: 28126907
PMCID: PMC5407200
NLM abbreviation: J Appl Physiol (1985)
ISSN: 1522-1601
eISSN: 1522-1601
Publisher: United States
Grant note: T32 HL007121 / NHLBI NIH HHS P01 HL014388 / NHLBI NIH HHS R21 AG048170 / NIA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 04/01/2017
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Center for Social Science Innovation; Office of Consultation and Research in Medical Education; Health, Sport, and Human Physiology ; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984002370102771

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