Cardiovascular disease risk factors and cognitive function
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in both men and women in the United States. Atherosclerosis, which is the most common pathological process underlying CVD, may begin in the first and second decades of life and is prevalent to some degree across all age groups thereafter. More severe forms of atherosclerosis tend to be found in middle-aged and older individuals. Major risk factors for atherosclerosis include increasing age, elevated LDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, obesity, smoking and diabetes. Cognitive function represents the complex repertoire of abilities reflecting a dynamic interaction between the individual and the social environment throughout life. Determinants of cognition are multifactorial and include a number of demographic, social, biological, physiologic and lifestyle factors. Evidence suggests that several risk factors for CVD may also be risk factors for cognitive dysfunction. A review of the literature summarizes the epidemiologic studies that have examined the association between subclinical atherosclerosis and cognitive function. Some studies reported associations between atherosclerosis and reduced cognitive function, while others reported weak or null associations. The studies tended to measure atherosclerosis in medium to large-sized arteries, and focused on older populations with more advanced atherosclerosis, with CVD, or who may have not been cognitively intact.
Author: Gatto, Nicole M. (author)
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2257559551