RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is associated with neurocognitive outcomes. The effect of anxiety on brain perfusion in a CVD population has yet to be examined, and no study has investigated the interactive effects of anxiety and cerebral perfusion on cognition. METHODS: A total of 55 older adults with CVD completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and underwent arterial spin labeling to quantify cortical perfusion and thickness. Participants were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. RESULTS: Reduced perfusion predicted poorer cognition and decreased cortical thickness. Higher anxiety score predicted worse memory performance and decreased frontal perfusion. Frontal lobe hypoperfusion combined with increased BAI scores exacerbated poorer MMSE performance. CONCLUSIONS: Higher anxiety may exacerbate the effects of cerebral hypoperfusion on cognitive impairment. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings and determine whether anxiety treatment improves neurocognitive outcomes in CVD.
Assuntos
Ansiedade/fisiopatologia , Encéfalo/irrigação sanguínea , Doenças Cardiovasculares/fisiopatologia , Circulação Cerebrovascular/fisiologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Ansiedade/epidemiologia , Ansiedade/psicologia , Transtornos de Ansiedade/complicações , Encéfalo/fisiopatologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/complicações , Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/psicologia , Cognição/fisiologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/diagnóstico , Transtornos Cognitivos/epidemiologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/psicologia , Feminino , Lobo Frontal/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Memória , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neuroimagem/métodos , Testes Neuropsicológicos , Marcadores de SpinRESUMO
Cerebral perfusion is important in older adults as it is linked to cognitive declines. Physical activity can improve blood flow in the body but little is known about the relationship between physical activity and cerebral perfusion in older adults. In particular, no study has investigated the relation between strength training and cerebral perfusion. We examined whether different types of physical activity (assessed with the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity questionnaire) were associated with MRI cerebrovascular perfusion in 59 older adults. There was a significant interaction between gender and strength training, such that women who engaged in strength training (weight lifting or calisthenics) at least once per week exhibited significantly greater cerebrovascular perfusion than women who did not. This interaction remained significant after controlling for other physical activity, demographics, and health variables. These findings suggest that regular strength training can be beneficial for cerebrovascular health in women.
