A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has revealed a potential connection between cardiovascular health (CVH) and biomarkers associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The research highlights how maintaining optimal cardiovascular health may lower the risk of neurodegeneration, especially in older adults.
The Role of Cardiovascular Health in Neurodegenerative Disease Risk
The American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 tool provides a framework for improving cardiovascular health through better physical fitness, nutrition, maintaining a healthy BMI, and managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Individuals with higher Life’s Simple 7 scores are found to have better cardiovascular health and are at a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke.
Both cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, share several common risk factors like hypertension, smoking, and metabolic syndrome. Notably, optimal cardiovascular health may mitigate the risk of these neurodegenerative diseases by slowing cognitive decline and reducing the volume of white matter hyperintensities in the brain.
Study Overview
The study sought to determine how CVH influences biomarkers linked to neurodegenerative processes, focusing on two key biomarkers: neurofilament light chain (NfL) and total tau (t-tau). Researchers also tracked changes in these biomarkers over a 10-year period, comparing the differences between Black and White participants.
The data was sourced from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), a long-term population study aimed at identifying risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The study tracked 10,802 Black and White individuals, aged 65 and older, from the South Side of Chicago between 1993 and 2012. Serum samples, medical history, and demographic information were collected every three years.
For the purpose of this study, 5,470 participants provided serum samples, with 1,327 randomly selected for measurement of NfL and t-tau levels. CVH was assessed using the Life’s Simple 7 tool, scoring participants on their BMI, diet, physical activity, smoking status, and control of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
Key Findings
The final analysis included 1,018 participants, with an average age of 73.1 years. Among this cohort, 61.4% were women, and 59.9% were Black. A higher CVH score, ranging from 10 to 14 points, was associated with lower levels of NfL, with each one-point increase in CVH resulting in a significant decrease in NfL levels. Participants with low CVH scores (0-6) exhibited higher NfL concentrations compared to those with higher CVH scores.
Interestingly, while CVH scores showed a correlation with NfL levels, no such relationship was observed for t-tau. Additionally, the benefits of higher CVH scores in reducing NfL levels were particularly evident among participants carrying the APOE e4 allele, a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. This association remained consistent across racial groups.
The study also tracked how NfL levels changed over the 10-year period. Those with the lowest CVH scores saw a 7.1% annual increase in NfL levels, while those with the highest CVH scores experienced only a 5.2% increase annually. Baseline cardiovascular disease did not affect these findings.
Conclusion and Implications
The study concluded that better cardiovascular health, regardless of age, gender, or race, is associated with lower NfL concentrations, a key biomarker of neurodegenerative disease. The most pronounced effects were seen in individuals with the APOE e4 allele, where higher CVH scores were linked to significantly reduced NfL levels.
These findings underscore the importance of maintaining cardiovascular health, particularly in older adults, as a preventive measure against neurodegenerative diseases. Given that Black adults are often at higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, this research highlights the need for targeted efforts to improve cardiovascular health in this group as a strategy to potentially reduce the burden of neurodegenerative diseases.
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