Coronary artery calcium is associated with cortical thinning in cognitively normal individuals.
To evaluate the association between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and cortical thickness in a large sample of cognitively normal individuals, with special emphasis in determining if the association thickness has regional brain specificity and if it is mediated by white matter hyperintensities (WMH). A total of 512 participants were included in this study. CAC scores were assessed by multi-detector computed tomography. Cortical thickness was measured using a surface-based method. Linear mixed models were used to assess the association between CAC scores and cortical thickness. In fully adjusted models, increased CAC scores were associated with cortical thinning across several brain regions, which generally overlapped with the distribution of default mode network. The association between CAC scores and cortical thickness was significantly stronger in participants with moderate or severe WMH compared to those with none or mild WMH, even though CAC scores were not associated with WMH. In cognitively normal adults, CAC was associated with cortical thinning in areas related to cognitive function. This association was evident after adjusting for multiple coronary artery disease risk factors and for WMH, suggesting that CAC may be more closely related to Alzheimer's Disease-type disease rather than to cerebral small vessel disease.
Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.
Jin San
JS
Lee
Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.
Danbee
D
Kang
Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.
Young Kyoung
YK
Jang
Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.
Hee Jin
HJ
Kim
Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.
Duk L
DL
Na
Health Promotion Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.
Hee Young
HY
Shin
Health Promotion Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.
Mira
M
Kang
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Jin-Ju
JJ
Yang
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Jong-Min
JM
Lee
Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
Juyoun
J
Lee
Department of Neurology, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Yeo Jin
YJ
Kim
Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Key-Chung
KC
Park
Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Epidemiology, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, USA.|Department of Medicine, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, USA.|Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, USA.
Eliseo
E
Guallar
Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.
Sang Won
SW
Seo
Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Samsung Medical Center 06351, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.|Department of Epidemiology, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, USA.|Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea.
Juhee
J
Cho
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001158:Arteries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059345:Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D066127:White Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D002118:Calcium
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