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Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
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Association between cardiovascular disease and dementia.
Claudia Kimie Suemoto1, Renata Eloah Ferretti2, Lea Tenenholz Grinberg2
1Department of Geriatrics, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
Dementia & Neuropsychologia
|December 8, 2017
Summary
This autopsy study found advanced age, stroke, physical inactivity, and low body mass index are linked to dementia. Cerebral artery atherosclerosis was not directly associated with dementia in this clinicopathological investigation.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Longitudinal studies suggest cardiovascular risk factors are associated with dementia.
- Asymptomatic cardiovascular alterations may lead to inaccurate associations in longitudinal studies.
- Autopsy studies offer a valuable approach to investigate dementia and cardiovascular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between dementia, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease using clinicopathological data.
- To compare cardiovascular risk factors and disease presence in individuals with and without dementia.
Main Methods:
- 603 subjects underwent autopsy and post-mortem cognitive classification for dementia presence.
- Demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular diseases (myocardial hypertrophy, cerebral/carotid atherosclerosis) were assessed.
- Comparisons were made between cognitively normal individuals and those with dementia.
Main Results:
- Dementia was associated with advanced age, stroke, physical inactivity, and low body mass index.
- Circle of Willis atherosclerosis was higher in dementia patients on univariate analysis but not after age/gender adjustment.
- Heart failure and cardiac pathology were more severe in the control group than in those with dementia.
Conclusions:
- Advanced age, stroke, physical inactivity, and low body mass index are linked to dementia.
- Cerebral artery atherosclerosis, specifically Circle of Willis atherosclerosis, is not directly associated with the clinical expression of dementia.
- Cardiovascular disease severity was paradoxically higher in the non-demented control group.
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