title: Chronotropic Response and Cognitive Function in a Cohort at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the association of chronotropic response (CR) and heart rate (HR) recovery- two indices of cardiovascular function within the context of a graded exercise test- with cognitive performance in a cognitively healthy, late-middle-aged cohort at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ninety participants (age = 63.52±5.86 years; 65.6% female) from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention participated in this study. They underwent graded exercise testing and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment that assessed the following four cognitive domains: Immediate Memory, Verbal & Learning Memory, Working Memory, and Speed & Flexibility. Regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, and education, were used to examine the association between CR, HR recovery, and cognition. We found significant associations between CR and cognitive performance in the domains of Immediate Memory, Verbal Learning & Memory, and Speed & Flexibility. In contrast, HR recovery was not significantly associated with cognitive function. The association between CR and cognition persisted even after controlling for HR recovery. Together, these findings indicatethat, in a cognitively normal, late-middle-aged cohort, CR is a stronger correlate of cognitive performance than HR recovery. Overall, this study reinforces the idea that cardiovascular health plays an important role in cognitive function, specifically in a cohort at risk for AD; and that interventions that promote vascular health may be a viable pathway to preventing or slowing cognitive decline due to AD.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Lena L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Boots
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Jean A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Einerson
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Education, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Claudia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Korcarz
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Education, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Koscik
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: N Maritza
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Bendlin
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asthana
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sager
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Sterling C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Education, Madison, WI, USA.|Research Service, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Dane B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Ozioma C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Okonkwo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000235:genetics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014706:Verbal Learning
keywords: Alzheimer disease; cardiopulmonary exercise test; cardiovascular health; cognition; heart rate