A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Performances in Physically Active Late Pre- and Early Post-Menopausal Females

Abstract

Menopause accelerates increases in arterial stiffness and decreases cognitive performances. The objective of this study was to compare cognitive performances in physically active pre- and post-menopausal females and their relationship with arterial stiffness. We performed a cross-sectional comparison of blood pressure, carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and cognitive performances between physically active late pre- and early post-menopausal females. Systolic (post-menopause—pre-menopause: +6 mmHg [95% CI −1; +13], p = 0.27; ŋ2 = 0.04) and diastolic (+6 mmHg [95% CI +2; +11], p = 0.06; ŋ2 = 0.12) blood pressures, and cf-PWV (+0.29 m/s [95% CI −1.03; 1.62], p = 0.48; ŋ2 = 0.02) did not differ between groups. Post-menopausal females performed as well as pre-menopausal females on tests evaluating executive functions, episodic memory and processing speed. Group differences were observed on the computerized working memory task. Post-menopausal females had lower accuracy (p = 0.02; ŋ2 = 0.25) but similar reaction time (p = 0.70; ŋ2 < 0.01). Moreover, this performance was inversely associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms (r = −0.38; p = 0.05). These results suggest that arterial stiffness and performance on tests assessing episodic memory and processing speed and executive functions assessing inhibition and switching abilities did not differ between physically active pre- and post-menopausal females. However, post-menopausal females had lower performance on a challenging condition of a working memory task, and this difference in working memory between groups cannot be explained by increased arterial stiffness.

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“…All included female participants had not menstruated for more than 10 years at the time of the VFS was recorded and were therefore beyond the late postmenopausal period cutoff ( 27 ); however, the time in years since last menstruation was inversely correlated with VFS performance and remained as independent variable in the age-adjusted linear regression model. This suggests that the effects of menopause on cognition are time-dependent and exert some effect even beyond the late postmenopausal period limit.…”

“…A small study comparing arterial stiffness and cognitive performance in two groups of pre- and post-menopausal women found that arterial stiffness and performance on cognitive tests did not differ between both groups. However, post-menopausal females had lower performance on a working memory task, and this difference in working memory was not explained by the increase in arterial stiffness ( 27 ). There is a paucity of data regarding sex differences in the effects of large artery stiffness on cognitive or dementia outcomes and as causes have been pointed out, the historical exclusion of females from studies and the treatment of sex as a confounding variable rather than an important contributor to physiology ( 34 ).…”