Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity

Cardiovascular disease risk predicts cognitive decline although the mechanisms underpinning this association remain unclear. Increasing cardiovascular risk may impair cerebral blood flow predisposing to cerebrovascular damage, cognitive decline, and dementia. This study examined the association between the Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Profile and cerebral blood flow velocity in 160 healthy middle-aged adults. Blood flow velocity was assessed in both the common carotid and middle cerebral arteries using Doppler. In adjusted linear regression models, cardiovascular risk predicted higher pulsatile (common carotid artery β=0.56, ΔR(2)=0.19, P