INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 06 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 04:00 pm - 05:15 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 06: Aging \| MCI \| Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2 Final Abstract #26 Cardiovascular Risk Scores are Associated with Cerebral Perfusion in Middle-Aged but not Older Adults Abigail Bowsher, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States Jessica Cloud, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States Jessica Stark, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States Jasmeet Hayes, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University; Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States Meher Juttukonda, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States Scott Hayes, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University; Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States Category: Aging Keyword 1: aging (normal) Keyword 2: cerebral blood flow Keyword 3: cerebrovascular disease Objective: Cardiovascular health is a known associate of both physical and cognitive aging. Prior literature has suggested that the relationship between cardiovascular health and cognitive health may be related to reductions in cerebral blood flow. The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between aging, Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores, and regional cerebral blood flow using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-MRI) in middle-aged and older adults. Participants and Methods: Data from fifty-three middle-aged and older adults (age range = 35-86 years; mean = 62.8; SD = 12.0) were obtained from the Fitness, Aging, Stress, and Traumatic Brain Injury Exposure Repository (FASTER; middle-aged range = 35-64 years, n = 29; older-aged range = 65-86 years, n = 24). Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores were calculated using a formula based on age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and smoking status. T₁- and T₂-weighted and ASL-MRI sequences were collected on a 3T Siemens Prisma scanner equipped with a 32-channel head coil using Human Connectome Project-Aging scan parameters. ASL-MRI data were processed using the Bayesian Inference for Arterial Spin Labeling (BASIL) toolbox within the FMRIB Software Library (FSL). T₁ images were segmented using FreeSurfer and cerebral blood flow data were extracted from regions of interest. Regression models were implemented to examine associations between cardiovascular risk and cerebral blood flow in middle-aged adults and older adults. Results: A significant Age Group x Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk interaction was observed in multiple regions of interest (including bilateral hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex) after accounting for sex and education (p < 0.05). These interactions were driven by a negative association between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow in middle-aged adults, but no significant association between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow among the oldest participants in the study. Conclusions: Cardiovascular disease risk was associated with lower levels of regional cerebral perfusion in multiple regions of interest in middle-aged adults, but not among the older participants in our study. These associations between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow were observed in brain regions associated with episodic memory and executive function. The lower cerebral blood flow in these brain regions in middle-aged adults may serve as a marker for increased risk of cognitive decline. Regardless, these findings reinforce the importance of limiting cardiovascular disease risk factors to maintain brain health in middle adulthood.

Poster

02/15/2024
04:00 pm - 05:15 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 06: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2

Final Abstract #26

Cardiovascular Risk Scores are Associated with Cerebral Perfusion in Middle-Aged but not Older Adults

Abigail Bowsher, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
Jessica Cloud, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
Jessica Stark, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
Jasmeet Hayes, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University; Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
Meher Juttukonda, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
Scott Hayes, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University; Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States

Category: Aging

Keyword 1: aging (normal)
Keyword 2: cerebral blood flow
Keyword 3: cerebrovascular disease

Objective:

Cardiovascular health is a known associate of both physical and cognitive aging. Prior literature has suggested that the relationship between cardiovascular health and cognitive health may be related to reductions in cerebral blood flow. The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between aging, Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores, and regional cerebral blood flow using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-MRI) in middle-aged and older adults.

Participants and Methods:

Data from fifty-three middle-aged and older adults (age range = 35-86 years; mean = 62.8; SD = 12.0) were obtained from the Fitness, Aging, Stress, and Traumatic Brain Injury Exposure Repository (FASTER; middle-aged range = 35-64 years, n = 29; older-aged range = 65-86 years, n = 24). Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores were calculated using a formula based on age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and smoking status. T₁- and T₂-weighted and ASL-MRI sequences were collected on a 3T Siemens Prisma scanner equipped with a 32-channel head coil using Human Connectome Project-Aging scan parameters. ASL-MRI data were processed using the Bayesian Inference for Arterial Spin Labeling (BASIL) toolbox within the FMRIB Software Library (FSL). T₁ images were segmented using FreeSurfer and cerebral blood flow data were extracted from regions of interest. Regression models were implemented to examine associations between cardiovascular risk and cerebral blood flow in middle-aged adults and older adults.

Results:

A significant Age Group x Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk interaction was observed in multiple regions of interest (including bilateral hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex) after accounting for sex and education (p < 0.05). These interactions were driven by a negative association between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow in middle-aged adults, but no significant association between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow among the oldest participants in the study.

Conclusions:

Cardiovascular disease risk was associated with lower levels of regional cerebral perfusion in multiple regions of interest in middle-aged adults, but not among the older participants in our study. These associations between Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores and cerebral blood flow were observed in brain regions associated with episodic memory and executive function. The lower cerebral blood flow in these brain regions in middle-aged adults may serve as a marker for increased risk of cognitive decline. Regardless, these findings reinforce the importance of limiting cardiovascular disease risk factors to maintain brain health in middle adulthood.