Decomposed arterial stiffness and NfL–cognition association in older adults: The IGNITE study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Neurofilament light chain (NfL) indexes neuroaxonal injury and relates to poorer cognition. Higher carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) arterial stiffness strengthens NfL-cognition associations, but reflects both pressure-standardized structural stiffness (S-PWV) and transient hemodynamic load-dependent pulse wave velocity (LD-PWV). We tested which component drives this interaction. METHODS: Plasma NfL and cfPWV were measured in 552 cognitively unimpaired older adults. cfPWV was decomposed into S-PWV and LD-PWV. Five latent cognitive domains were modeled. Linear regression tested PWV moderators of NfL-cognition associations. RESULTS: > 0.09). DISCUSSION: Nominal interactions were more consistent for S-PWV. Findings did not provide multiplicity-adjusted evidence of component-specific moderation.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02875301.
DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70507
Authors: Amani M. Norling, Audrey M. Collins, Kelsey R. Sewell, Lu Wan, George Grove, Haiqing Huang, Timothy M. Hughes, Adam D. Gepner, Akira Sekikawa, Lauren E. Oberlin, Thomas K. Karikari, Jill K. Morris, John M. Jakicic, Renee J. Rogers, Daniel E. Forman, Edward McAuley, Arthur F. Kramer, Charles H. Hillman, Eric D. Vidoni, Sandra A. Billinger, Jeffrey M. Burns, Anna L. Marsland, Chaeryon Kang, Kirk I. Erickson
Institutions: Hebrew SeniorLife, AdventHealth, Murdoch University, University of Pittsburgh, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northeastern University
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,540
Funder: National Institutes of Health
OpenAlex ID: W7225167991