The effect of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors on cognitive aging

Contact address: Zoltán Preg, MD Department of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania. E-mail: preg_zoltan@hotmail.com 1 „George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, Targu Mures, Romania 2 Department of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania 3 Department of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania 4 Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, „George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, Targu Mures, Romania 5 Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplantation, Targu Mures, Romania Abstract: Dementia represents a major health problem in elderly people. Several lifestyle-related and cardiovascular risk factors contribute to cognitive dysfunction, some of them can be counteracted, thus reducing the prevalence of dementia. Hypertension causes brain damage inducing microand macrovascular modifi cations, which can develop silently. Diabetes mellitus represents a major risk factor for cognitive decline due to hyperglycaemia, insulin resistance and chronic infl ammation. Smoking increases the risk of dementia inducing vascular modifi cations and neurotoxicity. Midlife obesity is another risk factor for dementia, being associated with brain atrophy and having infl uence on other cardiovascular risk factors. Hypercholesterolemia, especially increased LDL-cholesterol might contribute to the development of dementia, but the results are controversial. Physical exercise has a protective effect on neuro-degenerative processes, especially the combination of aerobic and resistance exercise seems to have the best impact on cognitive function. These risk factors represent targets for intervention in preventing cognitive dysfunction, and screening can be helpful in the early diagnosis of this disease.