Clinical and Imaging Markers of Cardiac Function and Brain Health
Amber Yaqub, Joshua C. Bis, Stefan Frenzel, Marisa Koini, Djass Mbangdadji, Gina M. Peloso, Rajesh Talluri, Álvaro Alonso, Martin Bahls, Robin Bülow, Marcus Dörr, Stephan B. Felix, Alison E. Fohner, Nele Friedrich, Edith Hofer, Maryam Kavousi, Lenore J. Launer, Tran Le, W.T. Longstreth, Thomas H. Mosley, Meike W. Vernooij, Henry Völzke, Katharina Wittfeld, Alexa Beiser, Hans J. Grabe, Vilmundur Guðnason, M. Arfan Ikram, Bruce M. Psaty, Reinhold Schmidt, Jeannette Simino, Sudha Seshadri, Frank J. Wolters
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiac dysfunction and heart failure are linked to cognitive impairment, but the underlying brain pathology remains undetermined. We investigated associations between cardiac function (measured by echocardiography or cardiac MRI), clinical heart failure, and structural markers on brain MRI, including volumes of gray and white matter (WM), the hippocampus, and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). METHODS: index (%). RESULTS: = 1%). DISCUSSION: In this large study among community-dwelling adults, subclinical cardiac dysfunction was associated with brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration. These findings encourage longitudinal investigations on the effect of maintaining cardiac function on brain health.