A recent study published in JAMA Network Open sheds light on the link between cardiovascular health (CVH) and biomarkers associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The study found that maintaining optimal cardiovascular health not only reduces the risk of heart disease but may also help in slowing brain aging and lowering the risk of dementia.
The Role of Cardiovascular Health in Neurodegenerative Disease Risk
The American Heart Association developed “Life’s Simple 7,” a tool designed to promote cardiovascular health by addressing key factors such as physical fitness, diet quality, body mass index (BMI), and the management of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Individuals who score highly on this tool are known to have better cardiovascular health and lower risks of stroke and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Interestingly, many of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases—such as hypertension, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and smoking—are also associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The new study suggests that achieving optimal cardiovascular health could reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by slowing cognitive decline and reducing brain abnormalities like white matter hyperintensity.
About the Study
The study aimed to determine whether cardiovascular health influences biomarkers linked to neurodegenerative processes, specifically neurofilament light chain (NfL) and total tau (t-tau), which are commonly used to assess neurodegeneration. The research also investigated how these biomarkers changed over a 10-year period and whether these changes differed between Black and White individuals.
The study used data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), a population-based study aimed at identifying risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment, and other forms of dementia. The CHAP cohort included 10,802 participants aged 65 and older from the South Side of Chicago. Data on their demographic information, medical history, and serum samples were collected every three years between 1993 and 2012.
From this large cohort, 5,470 participants provided serum samples, and 1,327 samples were selected for analysis of NfL and t-tau levels.
Measuring Cardiovascular Health
CVH scores were calculated using the Life’s Simple 7 tool, which includes factors like BMI, diet, physical activity, smoking status, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Each participant received a score from 0 to 2 for each of these seven factors, with higher scores indicating better cardiovascular health.
The final analysis included 1,018 participants, with a mean age of 73.1 years. The cohort was predominantly female (61.4%) and consisted of both Black (59.9%) and White (40.1%) individuals. Interestingly, the majority of participants with high CVH scores (10-14 points) were White or had higher levels of education.
Study Findings
The study revealed that participants with higher CVH scores had significantly lower levels of NfL, a biomarker of neurodegeneration. Specifically, for each one-point increase in CVH scores, participants showed lower serum levels of NfL. In contrast, no association was found between CVH scores and serum t-tau levels.
A particularly notable finding was the association between CVH scores and NfL levels among those carrying the APOE e4 allele, a genetic variant linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For these individuals, a higher CVH score was associated with lower levels of NfL, suggesting that better heart health may offer additional protection against neurodegenerative processes in genetically predisposed individuals.
Additionally, higher CVH scores were linked to a slower annual increase in NfL levels as participants aged, further indicating that better cardiovascular health may slow brain aging. However, the CVH score did not influence changes in t-tau concentrations over time.
Conclusions
The study concluded that older individuals with better cardiovascular health, as indicated by a higher CVH score, had lower levels of NfL, a biomarker of neurodegeneration. This association was observed across different ages, sexes, and races, highlighting the broad relevance of cardiovascular health to brain health.
For individuals carrying the APOE e4 allele, the study found that greater cardiovascular health was significantly associated with lower NfL levels, underscoring the importance of maintaining optimal heart health, especially for those at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
This research emphasizes the crucial role of cardiovascular health in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia. With Black adults often facing a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, the findings also suggest that promoting cardiovascular health in this population could be a key strategy for reducing dementia risk in later life.
In summary, better heart health doesn’t just protect the heart—it also helps protect the brain, potentially slowing brain aging and reducing the risk of developing dementia.
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