Cardiovascular risk factors in early adulthood associated with greatest change in late-life cognitive decline<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) across the life course, and especially in early adulthood, are associated with greater late-life cognitive decline, according to a study published online March 17 in Neurology<\/em>.<\/p>\n Kristine Yaffe, M.D., from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues pooled data from four prospective cohorts with a total of 15,001 participants to examine whether CVRFs across the adult life course are associated with late-life cognitive changes. The association for early adult, midlife, and late-life CVRFs with late-life decline on global cognition was examined, while adjusting for demographics, education, and cohort.<\/p>\n The researchers found that at each time period, elevated body mass index, fasting glucose, and systolic blood pressure, but not total cholesterol, were associated with greater late-life cognitive decline. The greatest change was seen in association with early-life CVRFs, with an approximate doubling of mean 10-year decline (an additional 3 to 4 points for Modified Mini-Mental State Exam or Digital Symbol Substitution Test). Late-life CVRFs were associated with cognitive declines in early late life and gains in very late life (<80 and \u00e2\u0089\u00a580 years, respectively). The associations for early adult and late-life CVRFs persisted after adjustment for CVRF exposures at all time periods.<\/p>\n “These results are striking and suggest that early adulthood may be a critical time for the relationship between these health issues and late-life cognitive skills,” Yaffe said in a statement. “It’s possible that treating or modifying these health issues in early adulthood could prevent or reduce problems with thinking skills in later life.”<\/p>\n One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n