title: Intima-media thickness and regional cerebral blood flow in older adults.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, Md 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sojkova
authors.forename: Samer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.forename: Lori L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Beason-Held
authors.forename: E Jeffrey
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Metter
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davatzikos
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kraut
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zonderman
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: 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