title: Eight-year parallel change in baroreflex sensitivity and memory function in a sample of healthy older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether changes in the cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) over time, as expressed by baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), were associated with long-term changes in cognitive performance in elderly individuals without dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-based 8-year longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals aged 66.9 ± 0.9 (N = 425).
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline and follow-up, subjects underwent a clinical interview, autonomic and vascular measurements, and a neuropsychological evaluation including attentional, executive, and memory tests using standardized Z-scores. BRS was defined as being normal, moderate, or severe alteration at each evaluation. On the basis of the longitudinal changes subjects were stratified as being stable, moderate or improved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean attentional, executive, and memory change Z-scores were -0.41 ± 0.9, -0.15 ± 0.7, and -0.14 ± 0.8, respectively. BRS of 56% of the subjects remained unchanged, of 20% decreased, and of 24% improved. After regression analysis, the worsened BRS group was 1.88 times as likely to have greater memory change as the group with stable BRS (P = .02). No significant association was found between longitudinal change in BRS and attentional and executive changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In healthy elderly individuals, BRS decrease was associated with a weak but significant decrease in memory function. The long-term effect of BRS on memory changes may suggest a role of the ANS in cognitive decline.
authors: Département de Physiologie Clinique et de l'exercice, Pôle Neuro-Ostéo Locomoteur, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire, Faculté de Mèdecine de Saint-Etienne, Université Jean Moulin, Saint-Etienne, France; pôle de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs, University of Lyon 2, Lyon, France.
authors: Magali
authors: M
authors: Saint Martin
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Roche
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Thomas-Anterion
authors: Jean Claude
authors: JC
authors: Barthélémy
authors: Emilia
authors: E
authors: Sforza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: autonomic nervous system; baroreflex sensitivity; cognitive functions; healthy elderly; longitudinal changes