Abstract
Age-related declines in endothelial function can lead to cognitive decline. However, little is known about the relationships between endothelial function and specific neurocognitive functions. This study explored the relationship between measures of endothelial function (reactive hyperemia index; RHI), white matter (WM) health (fractional anisotropy, FA, and WM hyperintensity volume, WMH), and executive function (Trail Making Test (TMT); Trail B - Trail A). Participants were 36 older adults between the ages of 59 and 69 (mean age = 63.89 years, SD = 2.94). WMH volume showed no relationship with RHI or executive function. However, there was a positive relationship between RHI and FA in the genu and body of the corpus callosum. In addition, higher RHI and FA were each associated with better executive task performance. Tractography was used to localize the WM tracts associated with RHI to specific portions of cortex. Results indicated that the RHI-FA relationship observed in the corpus callosum primarily involved tracts interconnecting frontal regions, including the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and frontopolar cortex, linked with executive function. These findings suggest that superior endothelial function may help to attenuate age-related declines in WM microstructure in portions of the corpus callosum that interconnect prefrontal brain regions involved in executive function.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2-2017
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00255
Funding Information
This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health CTSA UL1TR000117 and the University of Kentucky’s Clinical Services Core (CSC).
Repository Citation
Johnson, Nathan F.; Gold, Brian T.; Brown, Christopher A.; Anggelis, Emily F.; Bailey, Alison L.; Clasey, Jody L.; and Powell, David K., "Endothelial Function Is Associated with White Matter Microstructure and Executive Function in Older Adults" (2017). Physical Therapy Faculty Publications. 88.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/rehabsci_facpub/88
Included in
Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics Commons, Geriatrics Commons, Neurosciences Commons, Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, v. 9, 255, p. 1-9.
© 2017 Johnson, Gold, Brown, Anggelis, Bailey, Clasey and Powell.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.