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Updated: Jun 20, 2025
Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
The MindMoves Trial: Cross-Sectional Analyses of Baseline Vascular Risk and Cognition in Older Women with
Shannon Halloway1, Annabelle Santos Volgman2, Lisa L Barnes2,3
1College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Insights
Higher vascular risk, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and stroke, is linked to poorer semantic memory in older women. Serum biomarkers did not show significant associations with vascular risk or cognitive function.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Cognitive Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Health and Neurology
Background:
- Vascular diseases like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and stroke are known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline.
- Serum biomarkers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are being investigated as potential indicators of cognitive health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between vascular risk and cognitive function in older women with pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- To explore the relationship between vascular risk scores and specific serum biomarkers related to cognition in this population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of baseline data from 253 older women with CVD participating in a lifestyle trial.
- Calculation of vascular risk using ASCVD risk estimator and CHA2DS2-VASc scores.
- Assessment of cognition through neuropsychological tests and measurement of serum biomarkers (BDNF, VEGF, IGF-1) using linear regression models adjusted for demographic factors.
Main Results:
- Both ASCVD and CHA2DS2-VASc risk scores were significantly and inversely associated with semantic memory.
- No significant associations were found between vascular risk scores and other cognitive domains (episodic memory, working memory, executive function).
- No significant associations were observed between vascular risk scores and the measured serum biomarkers (BDNF, VEGF, IGF-1).
Conclusions:
- Elevated vascular risk is associated with impaired semantic memory in older women with CVD.
- Further prospective research is needed to explore these associations in diverse populations and investigate additional relevant biomarkers.
Background:
Vascular diseases, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and stroke, increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment. Serum biomarkers, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), may be indicators of cognitive health.
Objective:
We examined whether vascular risk was associated with levels of cognition and serum biomarkers in older women with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods:
Baseline data from a lifestyle trial in older women (n = 253) with CVD (NCT04556305) were analyzed. Vascular risk scores were calculated for ASCVD (ASCVD risk estimator) and stroke (CHA2DS2-VASc) based on published criteria. Cognition-related serum biomarkers included BDNF, VEGF, and IGF-1. Cognition was based on a battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, and executive function. A series of separate linear regression models were used to evaluate associations of vascular risk scores with outcomes of cognition and serum biomarkers. All models were adjusted for age, education level, and racial and ethnic background.
Results:
In separate linear regression models, both ASCVD and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were inversely associated with semantic memory (β= -0.22, p = 0.007 and β= -0.15, p = 0.022, respectively), with no significant findings for the other cognitive domains. There were no significant associations between vascular risk scores and serum biomarkers.
Conclusions:
Future studies should prospectively examine associations between vascular risk and cognition in other populations and additionally consider other serum biomarkers that may be related to vascular risk and cognition.
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