title: Polygenic risk for coronary artery disease is associated with cognitive ability in older adults.
abstract: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with cognitive decrements and risk of later dementia, but it is not known if shared genetic factors underlie this association. We tested whether polygenic risk for CAD was associated with cognitive ability in community-dwelling cohorts of middle-aged and older adults.
  
  
  
  Individuals from Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS, N = 9865) and from the Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1921 (LBC1921, N = 517) and 1936 (LBC1936, N = 1005) provided cognitive data and genome-wide genotype data. Polygenic risk profile scores for CAD were calculated for all of the cohorts using the largest available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data set, the CARDIoGRAM consortium (22 233 cases and 64 762 controls). Polygenic risk profile scores for CAD were then tested for their association with cognitive abilities in the presence and absence of manifest cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  
  A meta-analysis of all three cohorts showed a negative association between CAD polygenic risk and fluid cognitive ability (β = -0.022, P = 0.016), verbal intelligence (β = -0.024, P = 0.011) and memory (β = -0.021, P = 0.028).
  
  
  
  Increased polygenic risk for CAD is associated with lower cognitive ability in older adults. Common genetic variants may underlie some of the association between age-related cognitive decrements and the risk for CAD.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK, Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Saskia P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hagenaars
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK and.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Toni-Kim
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Lynsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Pujals
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK and.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Geriatric Medicine Unit, University of Edinburgh, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK and.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Porteous
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK, i.deary@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Deary
keywords: Coronary artery disease; ageing; cognition; dementia; genetics; polygenic traits
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