Vascular Status Predicts Cognitive Decline

In that previous studies suggest that vascular disease may contribute to increased risk of accelerated cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes, Scottish researchers investigated whether stroke and subclinical markers of vascular disease may be predicative of the decline.  The Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study (ET2DS) Investigators research group studied 831 men and women, ages 60-75 years, who participated in two study waves.  The team found that suffering a stroke was significantly associated with estimated lifetime cognitive decline.  Certain subclinical markers of vascular disease – namely, N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) – also were associated with cognitive decline over a 4-year period.  Observing that: “Stroke and subclinical markers of cardiac stress and generalized atherosclerosis are associated with cognitive decline in older patients with type 2 diabetes,” the study authors submit that: “Further investigation into the potential use of subclinical vascular disease markers in predicting cognitive decline is warranted.”