Introduction: Vascular risk factors contribute to cognitive decline suggesting that maintaining cerebrovascular health could reduce dementia risk. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association of cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), a measure of brain blood vessel elasticity, with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
Methods: Participants were enrolled in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial Memory and Cognition in Decreased Hypertension (SPRINT-MIND) magnetic resonance imaging substudy. Baseline CVR in Alzheimer's disease (AD) signature regions were primary variables of interest. The occipital pole and postcentral gyrus were included as control regions.
Results: Higher AD composite CVR was associated with lower MCI risk. No significant associations between inferior temporal gyrus, occipital pole, or postcentral gyrus CVR and MCI risk, or any regional CVR-combined risk associations were observed.
Discussion: CVR in AD signature regions is negatively associated with occurrence of MCI, implicating CVR in AD signature regions as a potential mechanism leading to cognitive impairment.
Keywords: biomarkers; cerebrovascular reactivity; cognitive dysfunction; hypertension; mild cognitive impairment.
© 2023 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.