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Cardiovascular disease risk exacerbates brain aging among Hispanic/Latino adults in the SOL-INCA-MRI Study
Ariana M Stickel1, Wassim Tarraf2, Kevin A Gonzalez3
1Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States.
Insights
High cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and brain infarcts are linked to accelerated brain aging in Hispanic/Latino adults. This highlights the impact of CVD risk factors on brain structure and cognitive health in this population.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are common in Hispanic/Latino adults, but their impact on brain structure, particularly the prevalence of MRI infarcts, is not well understood.
- This study investigates the relationship between CVD risk factors, brain infarcts, and brain structure in this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and brain infarcts with brain structure in Hispanic/Latino individuals.
- To determine if age and sex modify these associations.
Main Methods:
- 1,886 Hispanic/Latino adults (50-85 years) from the SOL-INCA-MRI study underwent MRI.
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk was assessed using the Framingham cardiovascular risk score approximately 10.5 years prior to MRI.
- Brain structure outcomes included total brain volume, gray matter volume, hippocampal volume, lateral ventricle volume, and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume.
Main Results:
- Sixty percent of participants had medium or high CVD risk.
- Medium and high CVD risk were associated with reduced total brain and frontal gray matter volumes and increased white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes.
- The presence of infarcts was associated with lower total brain volumes, equivalent to approximately 5 years of accelerated brain aging, and smaller gray matter volumes.
Conclusions:
- High prevalence of CVD risk factors in Hispanic/Latino adults may contribute to accelerated brain aging.
- Brain infarcts are associated with significant reductions in brain volume and accelerated brain aging.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are highly prevalent among Hispanic/Latino adults, while the prevalence of MRI infarcts is not well-documented. We, therefore, sought to examine the relationships between CVD risk factors and infarcts with brain structure among Hispanic/Latino individuals.
Methods:
Participants included 1,886 Hispanic/Latino adults (50-85 years) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging-MRI (SOL-INCA-MRI) study. CVD risk was measured approximately 10.5 years before MRI using the Framingham cardiovascular risk score, a measure of 10-year CVD risk (low (<10%), medium (10- < 20%), and high (≥20%)). MR infarcts were determined as present or absent. Outcomes included total brain, cerebral and lobar cortical gray matter, hippocampal, lateral ventricle, and total white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes. Linear regression models tested associations between CVD risk and infarct with MRI outcomes and for modifications by age and sex.
Results:
Sixty percent of participants were at medium or high CVD risk. Medium and high CVD risk were associated with lower total brain and frontal gray matter and higher WMH volumes compared to those with low CVD risk. High CVD risk was additionally associated with lower total cortical gray matter and parietal volumes and larger lateral ventricle volumes. Men tended to have greater CVDRF-related differences in total brain volumes than women. The association of CVD risk factors on total brain volumes increased with age, equal to an approximate 7-year increase in total brain aging among the high-CVD-risk group compared to the low-risk group. The presence of infarct(s) was associated with lower total brain volumes, which was equal to an approximate 5-year increase in brain aging compared to individuals without infarcts. Infarcts were also associated with smaller total cortical gray matter, frontal and parietal volumes, and larger lateral ventricle and WMH volumes.
Conclusion:
The high prevalence of CVD risk among Hispanic/Latino adults may be associated with accelerated brain aging.
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