Key result
Higher arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with worse global and executive cognitive function, higher free water, and greater white matter hyperintensity volume.
Why the study?
Arterial stiffness may contribute to dementia development, but its effects on brain microstructural integrity and perfusion remain poorly understood.
Are higher arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure associated with worse cognitive function and impaired brain microstructure in older adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=458)
No
Are higher arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure associated with worse cognitive function and impaired brain microstructure in older adults?
p-value: p=<0.001
Arterial stiffness and elevated systolic blood pressure are independently associated with impaired white matter microstructure and worse cognitive function in older adults.
May link vascular stiffness to cognitive decline via white matter changes; leaves open causal role and intervention targets.
Introduction: Arterial stiffness may play a role in the development of dementia through poorly understood effects on brain microstructural integrity and perfusion. Methods: We examined markers of arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cfPWV]) and elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) in relation to cognitive function and brain magnetic resonance imaging macrostructure (gray matter [GM] and white matter [WM] volumes), microstructure (diffusion based free water [FW] and fractional anisotropy [FA]), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in WM and GM in models adjusted for age, race, sex, education, and apolipoprotein E ε4 status. Results: Among 460 participants (70 ± 8 years; 44 dementia, 158 mild cognitive impairment, 258 normal cognition), higher cfPWV and SBP were independently associated with higher FW, higher WM hyperintensity volume, and worse cognition (global and executive function). Higher SBP alone was significantly associated with lower WM and GM CBF. Discussion: Arterial stiffness is associated with impaired WM microstructure and global and executive cognitive function.
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Coffin et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Cognitive impairment and dementia (n=458). Arterial stiffness (cfPWV) and elevated systolic blood pressure vs. Lower cfPWV and lower systolic blood pressure was evaluated on Cognitive function (global and executive) and brain MRI macrostructure and microstructure (p=<0.001). Higher arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with worse global and executive cognitive function, higher free water, and greater white matter hyperintensity volume.
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