Neuroelectric Indices of Inhibitory Control are Related to Arterial Stiffness

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and its prevalence is projected to affect nearly half of adults by 2050. Beyond its physical impact, poor cardiovascular health has been linked to changes in brain function, including alterations in neuroelectric activity measured by event-related potentials (ERPs). Increased arterial stiffness has been associated with reduced cognition, though the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the relationship between arterial stiffness and inhibitory control, focusing on attentional and response inhibitory processes. 66 adults (39.4 ± 17.0 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV; 6.41 ± 1.24 m/s). Inhibitory control was measured using the Eriksen flanker and Go/NoGo task paradigms, with neuroelectric activity indexed by the P300 and N200 ERP components. Stepwise linear regression models controlled for age, sex, education, and body fat percentage. Although cfPWV was not related to behavioral performance (accuracy or reaction time), higher cfPWV was associated with delayed P3 peak latency during the incongruent flanker condition (β = 0.04, R² = 0.25, p = 0.004). These findings suggest that greater arterial stiffness is linked to slower neural processing during attentionally demanding tasks, highlighting a potential pathway by which vascular health indices influence cognitive function.