Journal article
Vascular health and cognitive function in older adults with cardiovascular disease
Artery research, Vol.2(1), pp.35-43
2008
DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2008.01.001
PMCID: PMC3004172
PMID: 21179381
Abstract
We hypothesized that changes in vascular flow dynamics resulting from age and cardiovascular disease (CVD) would correlate to neurocognitive capacities, even in adults screened to exclude dementia and neurological disease. We studied endothelial-dependent as well as endothelial-independent brachial responses in older adults with CVD to study the associations of vascular responses with cognition. Comprehensive neurocognitive testing was used to discern which specific cognitive domain(s) correlated with the vascular responses.
Eighty-eight independent, community-dwelling older adults (70.02
±
7.67
years) with mild to severe CVD were recruited. Enrollees were thoroughly screened to exclude neurological disease and dementia. Flow-mediated (endothelial-dependent) and nitroglycerin-mediated (endothelial-independent) brachial artery responses were assessed using 2-D ultrasound. Cognitive functioning was assessed using comprehensive neuropsychological testing. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between the endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vascular flow dynamics and specific domains of neurocognitive function.
Endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent brachial artery responses both correlated with neurocognitive testing indices. The strongest independent relationship was between endothelial function and measures of attention-executive functioning.
Endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vascular responsiveness correlate with neurocognitive performance among older CVD patients, particularly in the attention-executive domain. While further study is needed to substantiate causal relationships, our data demonstrate that brachial responses serve as important markers of risk for common neurocognitive changes. Learning and behavior-modifying therapeutic strategies that compensate for such common, insidious neurocognitive limitations will likely improve caregiving efficacy.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Vascular health and cognitive function in older adults with cardiovascular disease
- Creators
- Daniel E Forman - Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USARonald A Cohen - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USAKarin F Hoth - Department of Medicine, National Jewish and Medical Research Centre, Denver, CO, USAAndreana P Haley - Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAAthena Poppas - Department of Cardiology, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USADavid J Moser - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, IA, USAJohn Gunstad - Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USARobert H Paul - Department of Psychology, University of Missouri, St Louis, MO, USAAngela L Jefferson - Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USADavid F Tate - Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USAMakoto Ono - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USANicole Wake - Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USAMarie Gerhard-Herman - Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Artery research, Vol.2(1), pp.35-43
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.artres.2008.01.001
- PMID
- 21179381
- PMCID
- PMC3004172
- NLM abbreviation
- Artery Res
- ISSN
- 1872-9312
- eISSN
- 1876-4401
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2008
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Medicine Administration
- Record Identifier
- 9984003456002771
Metrics
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