Cardiovascular risk and memory in non-demented elderly women

To determine whether cardiovascular (CV) risk is associated with subtle memory deficits in non-demented, healthy older women with a family history of Alzheimer disease (AD).

Baseline data of 375 participants from a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled primary prevention trial to test the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy in delaying AD and cognitive decline were analyzed. All subjects were women over 65 with a family history of AD who had normal cognition and no active heart disease at baseline. A baseline memory composite score was calculated, consisting of immediate and delayed recall of verbal and nonverbal material. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the association of relative CV risk with memory functioning; age, ethnicity and education level were included as covariates.

Mean baseline memory composite score was significantly higher in those with low relative CHD risk than those with high relative CHD risk.

These findings suggest that subtle elevation of CHD risk may negatively affect memory functioning even in otherwise healthy, non-demented older women without a history of heart disease.