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

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.