Associations Between Atherosclerosis and Subsequent Cognitive Decline: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study aimed to examine whether baseline atherosclerosis was associated with subsequent short-term domain-specific cognitive decline.

Methods and results: This research was based on the BRAVE (Beijing Research on Aging and Vessel) study, a population-based prospective cohort study of adults aged 40 to 80 years, free of dementia. At baseline (wave 1, 2019), cognitive assessments and atherosclerosis measures, including carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaques, coronary artery calcification, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were conducted. Cognitive function was reassessed in wave 2 (2022-2023) using linear mixed models for analysis. A total of 932 participants (63.7% women; mean age, 60.0±6.9 years) were included. Compared with the lowest tertile of carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaques, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, or a coronary artery calcification score=0, the highest tertile of carotid intima-media thickness (β=-0.065 SD/y [95% CI, -0.112 to -0.017]; P=0.008), carotid plaques (β=-0.070 SD/y [95% CI, -0.130 to -0.011]; P=0.021), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (β=-0.057 SD/y [95% CI, -0.105 to -0.010]; P=0.018), and a coronary artery calcification score≥400 (β=-0.081 SD/y [95% CI, -0.153 to -0.008]; P=0.029) were significantly associated with a faster decline in semantic fluency after multivariable adjustment. Moreover, greater carotid intima-media thickness, coronary artery calcification, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were significantly associated with a faster decline in global cognition.

Conclusions: More significant atherosclerosis was associated with faster semantic fluency and global cognition declines.