4C.01: LIFETIME OBESITY, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Masi, S.; Khan, T.; Johnson, W.; Wong, A.; Whincup, P.; Kuh, D.; Hughes, A.; Richards, M.; Hardy, R.; Deanfield, J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of hypertension. Volume 33(2015)Supplement 1
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Hypertension -- Periodicals; Hypertension -- Periodicals; 616.132005
• DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000467495.37471.23
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-5598

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Obesity is a major risk factor for cognitive impairment and increases risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). As CVD in itself is a risk factor for cognitive impairment, we assessed the influence of cardiovascular (CV) phenotypes on the association between lifetime exposure to obesity and midlife memory function. Figure. No caption available. Design and method: 233 participants of the National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) Study, with lifetime measures of BMI (36, 43, 53, and 60–64 years) and CV risk factors, vascular phenotypes (carotid intima-media thickness, cIMT, aortic pulse wave velocity, aPWV, and aortic calcification score, AAC-8) and cognitive data (word memory test, WMT) at 60–64 years were included in this study. Patterns of BMI change over 30 years were identified. Multivariable linear regression models (with adjustments for sex, heart rate, education and CV risk factors) were used to establish the associations between cross-sectional and lifetime measures of adiposity with memory function as well as the influence of vascular phenotypes on these associations. Results: At 60-64 years old, obese participants had lower WMT performance (P < 0.001), higher cIMT (P < 0.001), aPWV (P < 0.002) and AAC-8 (P = 0.012) compared to their normal weight peers. aPWV and AAC-8 (P < 0.001 for both) but not cIMT were negatively associated with performance at the WMT. The association between BMI with WMT remained significant following adjustments for aPWV and CV risk factors (P < 0.001). Similarly, adjustment for BMI and CV risk factors did not affect the association between aPWV and WMT (P = 0.009). Longer exposure to adiposity was associated with lower memory function (P-trend < 0.001) and higher aPWV (P-trend = 0.043) at 60–64 years. Individuals who, at any point, dropped one BMI category had memory function and vascular phenotypes similar to normal weight subjects (P = 0.431 and P = 0.914, respectively). The beneficial effect of wieght loss on memory function was lost if people re-gained weight (Figures 1A and 1B). Conclusions: Lifetime exposure to adiposity increases aortic stiffness and reduces memory function. These impacts are potentially reversible with weight loss. However, once vascular damage is established, its impact on memory function is likely to be independent from current BMI and CV risk factors levels.