Biomarkers

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Cardiovascular Disease Research
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) impacts brain structure and function through various mechanisms.
• Four MRI markers (free water, fractional anisotropy, perivascular space, white matter hyperintensities) are investigated for their association with vascular risk factors (VRF) and cognition.
• Generalizability of these associations across different cohorts is examined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the generalizability of relationships between four MRI markers of CVD and VRF.
• To examine the association between these MRI markers and cognitive function.
• To compare findings between the POINTER and Framingham Heart Study (FHS) cohorts.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 907 POINTER and 797 FHS participants' baseline demographic, clinical, and imaging data.
• Regression analyses to assess the effect of age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking on MRI markers.
• Linear regressions to evaluate the association between MRI markers and cognitive outcomes, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

• Despite cohort differences, consistent associations were found between VRF and MRI markers (e.g., age, hypertension, diabetes).
• Reduced cognitive performance was linked to decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased free water (FW).
• White matter hyperintensities (WMH) and perivascular space (PVS) were not significantly associated with cognitive outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Four MRI markers represent diverse CVD impacts on brain structure and function.
• Consistent relationships between CVD markers, VRF, and cognition across cohorts support generalizability.
• Findings reinforce the utility of these MRI markers in understanding CVD's effect on brain health.