title: Cardiac ventricular dimensions predict cognitive decline and cerebral blood flow abnormalities in aging men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of this study are to examine possible associations between left cardiac ventricular measures in sixth decade and cognitive performance, both cross sectionally and longitudinally, and to examine if left cardiac ventricular measures could predict future changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF).
  
  
  METHODS
  211 elderly men from a cohort of the population study "Men born in 1914" completed M-mode echocardiography and a cognitive test battery at age 68. The cognitive test battery was repeated at age 81. CBF was estimated with 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT in 72 survivors at age 83. Cognitive performance at baseline and at 1st follow up and CBF at 1st follow up were analysed in relation to left ventricular internal dimension in diastole (LVIDd mm/m2) and fractional shortening (FS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with enlarged LVIDd at age 68 had poorer results on verbal and speed-performance tests at baseline and on verbal and visuo-spatial tests 14 years later on. Low FS was associated with decreased results on visuo-spatial tests at baseline. There was an inverse relationship between LVIDd and both verbal and spatial ability at the baseline and after 14 years of follow-up. Normotensive men with lower FS had also decreased CBF in a majority of brain areas 14 years later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mild echocardiographic abnormalities in 68 ys.-old men, as increased LVIDd and lower FS, are associated with lower cognitive test results and may predict cognitive decline and silent cerebral perfusion abnormalities 14 years later.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Malmö, Sweden. linda.furuang@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Furuäng
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wollmer
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siennicki-Lantz
authors.forename: Sölve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elmståhl
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon