Open AccessDiet May Moderate the Relationship Between Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults
Author(s) -
Sarah Gauci,
Lauren M. Young,
David White,
Jeffery Michael Reddan,
Annie-Claude M. Lassemillante,
Denny Meyer,
Andrew Pipingas,
Andrew Scholey
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of alzheimer's disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.677
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1875-8908
pISSN - 1387-2877
DOI - 10.3233/jad-210567
Subject(s) - arterial stiffness , pulse wave velocity , cognition , cognitive decline , glycated hemoglobin , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , medicine , cognitive test , recall , cardiology , physical therapy , psychology , blood pressure , diabetes mellitus , disease , endocrinology , dementia , type 2 diabetes , psychiatry , cognitive psychology
Background: Cognitive decline is influenced by various factors including diet, cardiovascular disease, and glucose control. However, the combined effect of these risk factors on cognitive performance is yet to be fully understood. Objective: The current study aimed to explore the inter-relationship between these risk factors and cognitive performance in older adults at risk of future cognitive decline. Methods: The sample comprised 163 (Age: M = 65.23 years, SD = 6.50) participants. Food Frequency Questionnaire data was used to score diet quality and adherence to the Western Style Diet (WSD) and Prudent Style Diet (PSD). Glucose control was gauged by serum levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and arterial stiffness was measured using carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity. Cognitive performance was assessed using two subtests of the Swinburne University Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB) and Rey’s Verbal Learning Test (RVLT). Results: Diet quality, adherence to the WSD or PSD, and glucose control were not significantly related to cognitive outcomes. However, a significant negative association was found between arterial stiffness and the spatial working memory subtest of SUCCAB (β= –0.21, p < 0.05). Arterial stiffness also significantly interacted with the PSD to impact total recall (F change (1,134) = 5.37, p < 0.05) and the composite score of RVLT (F change (1,134) = 4.03, p < 0.05). Conclusion: In this sample of older adults at risk of cognitive decline, diet alone was not found to predict cognitive performance; however, it was found to moderate the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognition.