Age-related decline in peripheral vascular health predicts cognitive impairment

Abstract

Preclinical studies demonstrate that generalized endothelial cell dysfunction and microvascular impairment are potentially reversible causes of age-related vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that severity of age-related macro-and microvascular dysfunction measured in the peripheral circulation is an independent predictor of cognitive performance in older adults. In this study, we enrolled 63 healthy individuals into young (< 45 years old) and aged (> 65 years old) groups. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to construct a comprehensive peripheral vascular health

Accelerated decline in cognition in a mouse model of increased oxidative stress

“…Studies focusing on the cerebral microvasculature have shown that oxidative stress can cause endothelial dysfunction, impaired cerebral blood flow dysregulation and cognitive decline (Toth et al 2017). In humans, decline in vascular health has been demonstrated to predict cognitive decline during aging (Csipo et al 2019). Increasing oxidative stress by genetic deletion of Nrf2, the master transcription factor that regulates anti-oxidant genes, has been shown to increase cerebrovascular inflammation, affect neurovascular coupling responses, promote senescence and results in cognitive dysfunction (Tarantini et al 2018a;Fulop et al 2018).…”

Assessment of age-related decline of neurovascular coupling responses by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in humans

“…We expect that a comprehensive cerebromicrovascular health index encompassing fNIRS-based NVC, TCD-based NVC and CBF, and DVA-based retinal NVC data can be constructed (Berni et al 2011). We have recently demonstrated the potential of such an approach, showing that even a peripheral vascular health index used as a surrogate marker of age-related, generalized vascular dysfunction can reliably predict cognitive decline in older adults (Csipo et al 2019). We expect that a comprehensive cerebromicrovascular health assessment, which encompasses measurements with fNIRS, TCD, and DVA, will be even more reliable and sensitive to predict brain health and cognitive performance, identifying older individuals at risk for vascular cognitive impairment.…”

Sleep, brain vascular health and ageing

“…Csipo et al (Csipo et al 2019) recorded a spike in arterial stiffness along with microvascular and macrovascular endothelial dysfunctions in aged subjects. The study implicated that impaired vascular health is a predictor for cognitive dysfunction evidenced using vascular health index and cognitive impairment index scores (Csipo et al 2019).…”

“…Csipo et al (Csipo et al 2019) recorded a spike in arterial stiffness along with microvascular and macrovascular endothelial dysfunctions in aged subjects. The study implicated that impaired vascular health is a predictor for cognitive dysfunction evidenced using vascular health index and cognitive impairment index scores (Csipo et al 2019). Balbi et al (Balbi et al 2015) examined the functional status of microcirculation in FVB/N mice, wherein vascular dysfunction was reported to precede the changes detected in cerebral blood flow and this was stated to start in the Pial microvessels.…”