The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome
Abstract Introduction Evidence in the general population suggests that predictors of cardiovascular health such as moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness, and systolic blood pressure are associated with cognitive function. Studies supporting these associations in ad...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-023-09510-z |
| _version_ | 1797340317999955968 |
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| author | Lauren Frank Brian Helsel Danica Dodd Amy E. Bodde Jessica C. Danon Joseph R. Sherman Daniel E. Forsha Amanda Szabo-Reed Richard A. Washburn Joseph E. Donnelly Lauren T. Ptomey |
| author_facet | Lauren Frank Brian Helsel Danica Dodd Amy E. Bodde Jessica C. Danon Joseph R. Sherman Daniel E. Forsha Amanda Szabo-Reed Richard A. Washburn Joseph E. Donnelly Lauren T. Ptomey |
| author_sort | Lauren Frank |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Evidence in the general population suggests that predictors of cardiovascular health such as moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness, and systolic blood pressure are associated with cognitive function. Studies supporting these associations in adults with Down syndrome (DS) are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognition in adults with DS. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from a trial in adults with DS. Participants attended a laboratory visit where resting blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 Peak), and cognitive function (CANTAB® DS Battery) were obtained. The cognitive battery included tests measuring multitasking, episodic memory, and reaction time. Physical activity (accelerometer) was collected over the week following the laboratory visit. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to measure the impact of systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognitive outcomes. Results Complete data was available for 72 adults with DS (26.8 ± 9.3 years of age, 57% female). At baseline, VO2 Peak (21.1 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min) and MVPA were low (14.4 ± 14.4 min/day), and systolic blood pressure was 118.3 ± 13.3 mmHg. VO2 Peak was correlated with simple movement time (rho = − 0.28, p = 0.03) but was not significant using a linear regression controlling for age and sex. Systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with episodic memory (first attempt memory score: β = − 0.11, p = 0.002; total errors: β = 0.58, p = 0.001) and reaction time (five-choice movement time: β = 4.11, p = 0.03; simple movement time: β = 6.14, p = 0.005) using age- and sex-adjusted linear regressions. No associations were observed between MVPA and multitasking, episodic memory, or reaction time. Conclusion Predictors of cardiovascular health, including cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure, were associated with some aspects of cognition in adults with DS. While future research should examine the role of improved cardiovascular health on delaying decreases in cognitive function and dementia in adults with DS, we recommend that health care providers convey the importance of exercise and cardiovascular health to their patients with DS. Trial registration NCT04048759, registered on August 7, 2019. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:01:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e89b9e5a4ad84272aa7c03685dec3c63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1866-1955 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:01:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-e89b9e5a4ad84272aa7c03685dec3c632024-01-29T10:58:30ZengBMCJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders1866-19552023-12-011511910.1186/s11689-023-09510-zThe association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndromeLauren Frank0Brian Helsel1Danica Dodd2Amy E. Bodde3Jessica C. Danon4Joseph R. Sherman5Daniel E. Forsha6Amanda Szabo-Reed7Richard A. Washburn8Joseph E. Donnelly9Lauren T. Ptomey10 School of Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Neurology, The University of Kansas Medical Center School of Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterWard Family Heart Center, Children’s Mercy Kansas CityDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterAbstract Introduction Evidence in the general population suggests that predictors of cardiovascular health such as moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness, and systolic blood pressure are associated with cognitive function. Studies supporting these associations in adults with Down syndrome (DS) are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognition in adults with DS. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from a trial in adults with DS. Participants attended a laboratory visit where resting blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 Peak), and cognitive function (CANTAB® DS Battery) were obtained. The cognitive battery included tests measuring multitasking, episodic memory, and reaction time. Physical activity (accelerometer) was collected over the week following the laboratory visit. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to measure the impact of systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognitive outcomes. Results Complete data was available for 72 adults with DS (26.8 ± 9.3 years of age, 57% female). At baseline, VO2 Peak (21.1 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min) and MVPA were low (14.4 ± 14.4 min/day), and systolic blood pressure was 118.3 ± 13.3 mmHg. VO2 Peak was correlated with simple movement time (rho = − 0.28, p = 0.03) but was not significant using a linear regression controlling for age and sex. Systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with episodic memory (first attempt memory score: β = − 0.11, p = 0.002; total errors: β = 0.58, p = 0.001) and reaction time (five-choice movement time: β = 4.11, p = 0.03; simple movement time: β = 6.14, p = 0.005) using age- and sex-adjusted linear regressions. No associations were observed between MVPA and multitasking, episodic memory, or reaction time. Conclusion Predictors of cardiovascular health, including cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure, were associated with some aspects of cognition in adults with DS. While future research should examine the role of improved cardiovascular health on delaying decreases in cognitive function and dementia in adults with DS, we recommend that health care providers convey the importance of exercise and cardiovascular health to their patients with DS. Trial registration NCT04048759, registered on August 7, 2019.https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-023-09510-zDown syndromeFitnessBlood pressurePhysical activityExerciseCognition |
| spellingShingle | Lauren Frank Brian Helsel Danica Dodd Amy E. Bodde Jessica C. Danon Joseph R. Sherman Daniel E. Forsha Amanda Szabo-Reed Richard A. Washburn Joseph E. Donnelly Lauren T. Ptomey The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Down syndrome Fitness Blood pressure Physical activity Exercise Cognition |
| title | The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome |
| title_full | The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome |
| title_fullStr | The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome |
| title_short | The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome |
| title_sort | association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with down syndrome |
| topic | Down syndrome Fitness Blood pressure Physical activity Exercise Cognition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-023-09510-z |
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