Pulmonary Function, Cognitive Impairment and Brain Atrophy in a Middle Aged Community Sample
Author(s)
Sachdev, Perminder SinghAnstey, Kaarin
Parslow, Ruth
Wen, Wei
Maller, Jerome
Kumar, Rajeev
Christensen, Helen
Jorm, Anthony F
Keywords
Keywords: adultarticle
body height
brain atrophy
brain size
chronic respiratory tract disease
cognitive defect
community
controlled study
correlation analysis
education
female
forced expiratory volume
grip strength
hippocampus
human
image analysis
Brain atrophy
Cognitive impairment
Pulmonary function
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http://hdl.handle.net/1885/24227Abstract
Objective: To determine the relationship of lung function to brain anatomical parameters and cognitive function and to examine the mediating factors for any relationships. Methods: A random sub-sample of 469 persons (men = 252) aged 60-64 years from a larger community sample underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans and pulmonary function tests (forced vital capacity, FVC, forced expiratory volume in the first second, FEV1). Subjects were assessed for global cognitive function, episodic memory, working memory, information processing speed, fine motor dexterity and grip strength. The magnetic resonance imaging scans were analysed for overall brain atrophy, subcortical atrophy (ventricle-to-brain ratio, VBR), hippocampal volume, and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume. Results: FEV1 had a significant negative correlation with overall brain atrophy and VBR in men. The FEV1/FVC ratio had a significant correlation with WMHs in both men and women. In regression models that controlled for sex, age, height, level of activity, smoking, chronic respiratory disease and education, FEV1 and FVC were significant predictors of VBR but no other structural brain measure. Pulmonary function was also significantly related to information processing speed and fine motor dexterity. Male subjects with chronic respiratory disease had more deep WMHs. Path analyses to examine if structural measures mediated between lung function and cognition, and whether markers of inflammation and oxidative stress or cortisol mediated between lung function and brain measures were negative. Conclusions: Decreased lung function is related to poorer cognitive function and increased subcortical atrophy in mid-adult life. Presence of chronic respiratory disease may be related to deep WMHs in men.Date
2015-12-07Type
Journal articleIdentifier
oai:openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au:1885/242271420-8008
http://hdl.handle.net/1885/24227
10.1159/000091438