The Relationship of Coronary Atherosclerosis Progression to Cognition
type: CreativeWork
description: Subclinical atherosclerosis has been linked to poorer cognitive performance. Most of the literature investigating the relationship between atherosclerosis and cognitive functioning has utilized the carotid artery as an indicator. Few studies have examined the association between cognitive performance and atherosclerosis in areas where it accumulates early in the progression process, such as the coronary artery. This project aimed to examine the relationship between change in subclinical coronary atherosclerosis and cognitive performance in a large, community-based sample. Participants included 1,386 individuals with Dallas Heart Study data for coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels obtained at two time points (DHS-1 and DHS-2, approximately 7 years later) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores at DHS-2 (mean age in years (SD)=52 (9.0); 57% female, 48% Black). A subset of DHS participants (N=101, mean age (SD)= 66 (5.1), 58% female, 38% Black) returned 5 years later for comprehensive neuropsychological testing as part of the Dallas Heart and Brain Aging Study (DHBAS) at the UT Southwestern Alzheimer Disease Center. CAC progression was examined as an increase from baseline calcium levels and based on CAC progression groups (i.e., None, Incidence, Non-Progressor, Progressor) in relationship to MoCA Total Score using linear multiple regression and ANOVA to compare MoCA performance between groups. Neuropsychological test data were aggregated into functional domains, and then into a Global Composite Score. The relationship between CAC progression and this global score was examined using linear multiple regression and MANOVA. ANCOVA and MANCOVA were also used to control for sociodemographic variables, traditional vascular risk factors, and baseline CAC. In the DHS sample, CAC progression was weakly but significantly associated with MoCA scores, but this relationship was attenuated by sociodemographic factors. Membership in the CAC Progressor group was significantly …
abstract: Subclinical atherosclerosis has been linked to poorer cognitive performance. Most of the literature investigating the relationship between atherosclerosis and cognitive functioning has utilized the carotid artery as an indicator. Few studies have examined the association between cognitive performance and atherosclerosis in areas where it accumulates early in the progression process, such as the coronary artery. This project aimed to examine the relationship between change in subclinical coronary atherosclerosis and cognitive performance in a large, community-based sample. Participants included 1,386 individuals with Dallas Heart Study data for coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels obtained at two time points (DHS-1 and DHS-2, approximately 7 years later) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores at DHS-2 (mean age in years (SD)=52 (9.0); 57% female, 48% Black). A subset of DHS participants (N=101, mean age (SD)= 66 (5.1), 58% female, 38% Black) returned 5 years later for comprehensive neuropsychological testing as part of the Dallas Heart and Brain Aging Study (DHBAS) at the UT Southwestern Alzheimer Disease Center. CAC progression was examined as an increase from baseline calcium levels and based on CAC progression groups (i.e., None, Incidence, Non-Progressor, Progressor) in relationship to MoCA Total Score using linear multiple regression and ANOVA to compare MoCA performance between groups. Neuropsychological test data were aggregated into functional domains, and then into a Global Composite Score. The relationship between CAC progression and this global score was examined using linear multiple regression and MANOVA. ANCOVA and MANCOVA were also used to control for sociodemographic variables, traditional vascular risk factors, and baseline CAC. In the DHS sample, CAC progression was weakly but significantly associated with MoCA scores, but this relationship was attenuated by sociodemographic factors. Membership in the CAC Progressor group was significantly …
author: Carter, Kirstine Renee
language: en
keywords: Atherosclerosis, Cognition, Coronary Artery Disease, Neuropsychological Tests
date published: 2016-09-01T19:35:18Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:52:29Z
provider: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2152.5/3598