Variability in Cardiometabolic and Inflammatory Parameters and Cognitive Decline

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Visit-to-visit variability in cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers is not well understood in relation to cognitive changes.
• Cognitive decline is a significant concern in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between visit-to-visit variability in key cardiometabolic and inflammatory parameters and cognitive decline.
• To explore the composite effect of variability in multiple parameters on cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• A population-based cohort study of 2,260 individuals (mean age 63.0 years) with at least 3 clinical measurements between 2004-2019.
• Variability was assessed using variability independent of the mean (VIM) for BMI, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, ferritin, and fibrinogen.
• Linear mixed models analyzed longitudinal associations with cognitive decline in memory and verbal fluency, with analyses conducted in 2020-2021.

Main Results:

• Higher variability in BMI, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, HbA1c, and ferritin was linearly associated with cognitive decline, independent of mean values.
• Individuals in the highest quartile of a composite variability score exhibited significantly faster rates of decline in memory and verbal fluency compared to those in the lowest quartile.

Conclusions:

• Increased variability in cardiometabolic and inflammatory parameters is significantly associated with cognitive decline.
• Maintaining stable cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers may be a crucial target for preserving cognitive function.