# Cardiovascular risk and cognitive performance: A population-based cross-sectional study (NEDICES2-RISK)

## TL;DR

This study found that higher cardiovascular risk is linked to worse cognitive performance in middle-aged and older Spanish adults, especially in memory and attention.

## Contribution

The study reveals sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk and cognitive domains in a population-based cohort.

## Key findings

- Women with higher cardiovascular risk had worse memory and attention test results.
- Men with higher cardiovascular risk also showed significant cognitive decline in memory and processing speed.
- Memory, attention, and psychomotor speed were the most affected cognitive domains.

## Abstract

Cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Our objective was to assess the relationship between CVR and cognitive performance by sex in the Spanish population.

Cross-sectional analysis nested within the population-based NEDICES-2 cohort. The included participants were 55–75 years old without previous cardiovascular events. CVR was estimated using the REGICOR and FRESCO risk equations. Outcome variable: performance on premorbid intelligence, global cognition, memory, verbal fluency, visuoconstruction, attention, and psychomotor speed. Generalized linear models were built.

863 participants (56.0% women). Women with higher CVR estimated with FRESCO showed worse cognitive outcomes on Immediate memory test OR: 4.77 (CI95% 1.81–13.80), Delayed memory test OR: 2.86 (CI95% 1.09–7.91), Clock drawing test OR 3.23 (CI95% 1.07–10.10), TMTA-1 timing OR: 6.92 (CI95% 2.43–20.90) and TMTA-2 timing OR 3.89 (CI95% 1.34–11.50%). With moderate versus low CVR they scored worse on Clock drawing test OR 2.08 (CI95% 1.08–4.02), TMTA-1 timing OR: 2.99 (CI95% 1.62–5.58) and TMTA-2 timing OR 2.01 (CI95% 1.06–3.83%). Men with high versus low CVR with REGICOR had lower scores on MMSE-37 OR: 2.41 (CI95% 1.08–5.36), Word accentuation OR: 2.90 (CI95% 1.28–6.67), TMTA-1 OR: 3.68 (CI95% 1.57–8.71) and TMTA-2 OR: 2.82 (CI95% 1.24–6.41). With moderate versus low CVR, they scored worse on TMTA-1 OR: 2.21 (CI95% 1.15–4.41). With FRESCO, men with high versus low CVR were worse on Immediate memory OR: 2.23 (CI95% 1.07–4.70), Word accentuation OR: 2.99 (CI95% 1.25–7.53), and TMTA-1 timing 3.72 (CI95% 1.46–10.3) and the men with moderate versus low CVR. performed worse on MMSE-37 OR: 2.99 (CI95% 1.19–8.27).

Higher CVR was associated with worse cognitive performance in the Spanish population 55–75 years old. The most affected cognitive domains were memory, attention and psychomotor speed.