Abstract
BackgroundThe relationship between stroke risk and cognitive function has not previously been examined in a large community living sample other than the Framingham cohort. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between 10-year risk for incident stroke and cognitive function in a large population-based sample.MethodsParticipants were 7377 adults aged 50 years and over of the 2002 wave of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a prospective cohort study. A modified version of the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (incorporating age, sex, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, diabetes, smoking status, cardiovascular disease, and atrial fibrillation) was used to assess 10-year risk of stroke. Linear regression models were used to determine the cross-sectional relationship of stroke risk to global cognitive function and performance in multiple cognitive domains.ResultsIn unadjusted models 10 percentage point increments of 10-year stroke risk were associated with poor global cognitive function (-0.40 SD units, 95% CI -0.43 – -0.38), and lowered performance in all cognitive domains. After statistical adjustment for age, sex, testing interval and other correlates of cognitive function the association with stroke risk was attenuated though remained significant for global cognitive function (-0.06 SD units, 95% CI -0.09 – -0.03), immediate and delayed verbal memory, semantic verbal fluency and processing speed.ConclusionIn individuals free from a history of stroke or dementia, high subclinical cerebrovascular disease burden was associated with worse cognitive function in multiple domains.
Highlights
The relationship between stroke risk and cognitive function has not previously been examined in a large community living sample other than the Framingham cohort
Summary In a large population-based cohort of English men and women with no prior history of dementia or stroke, we found a 10 percentage point increase in 10-year stroke risk was associated with a large decrement in global cognitive function (-0.40 SD units), and poor performance all cognitive domains
Our results are consistent with their results suggesting that after adjustment for age, sex, education and other correlates of cognition 10-year stroke risk is associated with poor cognition in multiple domains
Summary
The relationship between stroke risk and cognitive function has not previously been examined in a large community living sample other than the Framingham cohort. Brady and colleagues[6] observed that the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP),[10,11] a previously validated index of cerebrovascular disease burden, predicted 3-year semantic verbal fluency decline. Their analyses incorporated 235 male Veterans Administration patients free of stroke or dementia, and they controlled for age, education, and baseline performance. They observed no association between stroke risk and decline in memory (including immediate and delayed verbal recall) or visualspatial function. Their study was limited by the small institutionalized male sample and the lack of adjustment for additional correlates of cognition
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