Abstract
Objective: Arterial stiffness is associated with cognitive decline and may serve as an early marker of brain vulnerability. In search of potential early intervention targets, the present study examined the neural correlates of working memory in relation to arterial stiffness in middle-aged, cognitively healthy adults. Methods: Twenty-eight adults, ages 40- 60 years, completed a 2-Back verbal working memory task during fMRI. Arterial stiffness was measured using the - stiffness index via simultaneous ultrasound and applanation tonometry on the carotid artery. Mean task-related activation intensity was determined for 12 a priori regions of interest (ROI). Statistical analyses included partial correlations, controlling for hypertension status and antihypertensive medication. Results: Arterial stiffness was correlated negatively with task-related activation in 3 ROIs: left precentral gyrus/BA 6 (r=-0.64, p<0.001), left precentral/middle frontal gyrus (r=-0.62, p=0.001) and left superior parietal lobule/BA 7 (r=-0.48, p=0.013). There was also a negative association between arterial stiffness and task-related activation in the right superior frontal gyrus/BA 6 (r=-0.45, p=0.023). Conclusions: Greater arterial stiffness was significantly associated with decreased task-related brain activation during a verbal working memory task, possibly reflecting increased vulnerability for cognitive impairment. Arterial stiffness should be investigated further as an early marker of cognitive risk and a potential target for early intervention.
Highlights
Cognitive functioning is one of the most important determinants of functional ability, and quality of life [1]
-stiffness index was significantly correlated with taskrelated activation in three of the twelve regions of interest (ROI): left precentral gyrus/BA 6 (r=-0.64, p
The present study investigated the relationship between arterial stiffness and brain activation during a verbal working memory (VWM) task in a middle-aged sample with varying vascular risk
Summary
Cognitive functioning is one of the most important determinants of functional ability, and quality of life [1]. It is becoming increasingly important to understand the pathogenesis of dementia and identify early risk factors that can be targeted for primary prevention. Most previous studies to date have focused on elderly populations, [6,7,8,9] yet in order to develop effective early interventions it is critical to identify markers of cognitive vulnerability in younger samples, in middle-aged adults. This poses a problem with traditional neuropsychological measures, which may lack the sensitivity to detect early, subtle changes in
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