Relationship Between Endothelial Function, Vital Parameters, and Cognitive Performance in Community Dwellers with Subjective Cognitive Decline: An Observational Study with Six Months Follow Up

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sittig, Johannes^{a; 1} | Pickert, Lena^{a; 1} | Weigert, Hannah^a | Deelen, Joris^{b; c} | Polidori, M. Cristina^{a; c; 2; *} | Nelles, Gereon^{d; 2}

Affiliations: [a] Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany | [b] Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany | [c] Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany | [d] Neuromed-Campus Hohenlind, Cologne, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: M. Cristina Polidori, Ageing Clinical Research, Department II for Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Tel.:+ 49 221 478 32753; E-mail: maria.polidori-nelles@uk-koeln.de.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Note: [2] Equal supervisors.

Abstract: Background:With advancing age, cognitive decline is frequently associated with endothelial dysfunction, but data on vascular performance prior to the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is scarce. Objective:To investigate the relationship between endothelial function, vital parameters and cognitive performance in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Methods:Forty-five volunteers aged 65 years and older with SCD underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment-based prognosis evaluation by means of the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), full neuropsychological examination and peripheral arterial tonometry measurement by means of EndoPAT™2000 to evaluate endothelial flexibility and vital parameters. Six months after initial evaluation, participants were contacted by phone and a telephone-administered version of the MPI (TELE-MPI) was conducted. Results:Fifteen study participants scored below the cutoff score of 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, suggesting MCI (26.56±2.23). Nominal significant correlations were found between heart rate (HR) and trail making test (TMT) A (β= –0.49, p = 0.03), between heart rate variability (HRV) and TMT B (β= 0.78, p = 0.041), between power of low-frequency band (LF) HRV and Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (β= 0.007, p = 0.037) as well as between augmentation index (AI) and CogState Detection Test (β= 0.002, p = 0.034). Conclusions:HR, HRV, and AI, but not endothelial flexibility are associated with cognitive performance in SCD and suspected MCI patients and may serve as clinical biomarkers in the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders with advancing age.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, augmentation index, dementia, endothelial function, heart-brain syndrome, heart rate, heart rate variability, mild cognitive impairment, Multidimensional Prognostic Index, subjective cognitive decline

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-240661

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 100, no. s1, pp. S13-S24, 2024