Intima-media thickness and regional cerebral blood flow in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between the thickness of the carotid intima (IMT) and brain function remains unclear in those without clinical manifestations of cerebrovascular disease. Understanding the neural correlates of this vascular measure is important in view of emerging evidence linking poorer cognitive performance with increased IMT in individuals without clinical cerebrovascular disease.


METHODS
Seventy-three participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (70.9 years; SD, 7.3) were evaluated with carotid artery ultrasound and resting [(15)O]H(2)O positron emission tomography.


RESULTS
After adjusting for age, gender, and gray and white matter volumes in the regions where IMT is related to regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), we found that higher IMT was associated with lower rCBF in lingual, inferior occipital, and superior temporal regions. Higher IMT was also associated with higher rCBF in medial frontal gyrus, putamen, and hippocampal-uncal regions (P=0.001). Whereas women had lower IMT (P=0.01) and mean arterial pressure (P=0.05) than men, they showed more robust associations between IMT and rCBF. The relationship between IMT and rCBF was only minimally affected by additional adjustment for mean arterial pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
IMT is related to patterns of resting rCBF in older adults without clinical manifestations of cerebrovascular disease, suggesting that there are regional differences in CBF that are associated with subclinical vascular disease.
Sojkova
Jitka
J
National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, Md 21224, USA.
Najjar
Samer S
SS
Beason-Held
Lori L
LL
Metter
E Jeffrey
EJ
Davatzikos
Christos
C
Kraut
Michael A
MA
Zonderman
Alan B
AB
Resnick
Susan M
SM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017678:Sex Distribution; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography