title: Carotid atherosclerosis and cognitive function in midlife: the Beaver Dam Offspring Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerosis may be associated with cognitive function; however the studies are few, especially among midlife adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in the beaver dam offspring study who had cognitive test data and gradable carotid artery ultrasound scans were included (n=2794, mean age: 49 years). Atherosclerosis was measured by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of plaque. Cognitive function was measured by the trail making test (TMT), grooved pegboard test (GPT) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Generalized cognitive function was defined by a summary score calculated from the TMT and GPT. Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between carotid atherosclerosis and cognitive function tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Larger IMT was associated with lower GPT, MMSE and the summary score adjusting for multiple factors, the coefficients were: 13.8s (p<0.0001), -0.6 (p=0.007), and 0.47 (p=0.01), respectively for 1mm increase in IMT. Plaque scores were significantly associated with TMT-B, GPT, MMSE, and the summary score adjusting for age, sex and education. The associations remained statistically significant after further adjustments except for the association with TMT-B, which was attenuated and no longer significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show the significant associations between markers of carotid atherosclerosis and cognitive function in a cohort of persons aged 21-84 years. Longitudinal studies are needed to further examine these associations.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1036 WARF, 610 Walnut Street, Madison, WI 53726, USA. wzhong@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cruickshanks
authors.forename: Guan-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Barbara E K
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Nieto
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pankow
authors.forename: Carla R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Schubert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology