title: Functional imaging of working memory and peripheral endothelial function in middle-aged adults.
abstract: The current study examined the relationship between a prognostic indicator of vascular health, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and working memory-related brain activation in healthy middle-aged adults. Forty-two participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while completing a 2-Back working memory task. Brachial artery endothelial-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed using B-mode ultrasound. The relationship between FMD and task-related brain activation in a priori regions of interest was modeled using hierarchical linear regression. Brachial FMD, was significantly related to reduced working memory-related activation in the right superior parietal lobule (beta=0.338, p=0.027), independent of age, sex, systolic blood pressure, and full scale IQ (F(5,36)=2.66, p=0.038). These data provide preliminary support for the association between a preclinical marker of endothelial dysfunction and cerebral hemodynamic alterations in healthy middle-aged adults. Considering the modifiable nature of endothelial function, additional investigations on the prognostic significance of FMD on future cognitive impairment are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
authors.forename: Mitzi M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tarumi
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Tali
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Swann-Sternberg
authors.forename: Katayoon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goudarzi
authors.forename: Andreana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Haley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014463:Ultrasonography