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Updated: May 11, 2026
07:30
Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
Cardiovascular risk profile and cognitive function in young, middle-aged, and elderly subjects
Hanneke Joosten1, Marlise E A van Eersel, Ron T Gansevoort
1Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB, The Netherlands. j.m.h.joosten@umcg.nl
Stroke
|May 4, 2013
Summary
Cardiovascular risk factors are linked to cognitive decline, even in young adults. A higher Framingham Risk Score (FRS) correlated with lower scores on cognitive tests like the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cognitive decline is increasingly recognized as occurring earlier in life.
- Cardiovascular risk factors are known contributors to cognitive decline in older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive decline in young and middle-aged adults.
- To determine if established cardiovascular risks impact cognition before old age.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 3778 participants (aged 35-82) without cardiovascular disease or stroke.
- Cognitive function assessed using the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT) and Visual Association Test (VAT).
- Cardiovascular risk evaluated using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS).
Main Results:
- A higher Framingham Risk Score (FRS) was significantly associated with poorer performance on the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT).
- This negative association between cardiovascular risk and cognitive function was observed in young adults (35-44 years) and older groups.
- Key contributors to FRS included age, diabetes mellitus, and smoking.
Conclusions:
- Worse cardiovascular risk profiles are linked to poorer cognitive function in a large, population-based cohort.
- The association between cardiovascular risk and cognitive decline is evident from young adulthood (35-44 years).
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