Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits

Allison C. Engstrom; John Paul M. Alitin; Arunima Kapoor; Shubir Dutt; Trevor Lohman; Isabel J. Sible; Anisa J. Marshall; Fatemah Shenasa; Aimée Gaubert; Farrah Ferrer; Amy Nguyen; David Robert Bradford; Kathleen Rodgers; Lorena Sordo; Elizabeth Head; Xingfeng Shao; Danny J.J. Wang; Daniel A. Nation

doi:10.1002/alz.14396

Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits

Allison C. Engstrom, John Paul M. Alitin, Arunima Kapoor, Shubir Dutt, Trevor Lohman, Isabel J. Sible, Anisa J. Marshall, Fatemah Shenasa, Aimée Gaubert, Farrah Ferrer, Amy Nguyen, David Robert Bradford, Kathleen Rodgers, Lorena Sordo, Elizabeth Head, Xingfeng Shao, Danny J.J. Wang, Daniel A. Nation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibit deficits in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), suggesting CVR is a biomarker for vascular contributions to MCI. This study examined if spontaneous CVR is associated with MCI and memory impairment. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one older adults free of dementia or major neurological/psychiatric disorders were recruited. Participants underwent clinical interviews, cognitive testing, venipuncture for Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Spontaneous CVR was quantified during 5 minutes of rest. Respiratory gases analyzed through nasal cannula to quantify end-tidal carbon dioxide (_ETCO₂) levels were used to estimate CVR. RESULTS: Whole brain CVR was negatively associated with age, but not MCI. Lower CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) was found in participants with MCI and was linked to worse memory performance on memory tests. Results remained significant after adjusting for AD biomarkers and vascular risk factors. DISCUSSION: Spontaneous CVR deficits in the PHG are observed in older adults with MCI and memory impairment, suggesting medial temporal microvascular dysfunction is observed in cognitive decline. Highlights: Aging is associated with decline in whole brain spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Older adults with mild cognitive impairment exhibit deficits in spontaneous CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Memory impairment is correlated with reduced spontaneous CVR in the PHG.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e14396
Journal	Alzheimer's and Dementia
Volume	21
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14396
State	Published - Jan 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

amnestic mild cognitive impairment
memory impairment
mild cognitive impairment
spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Epidemiology
Health Policy
Developmental Neuroscience
Clinical Neurology
Geriatrics and Gerontology
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Psychiatry and Mental health

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10.1002/alz.14396

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Engstrom, A. C., Alitin, J. P. M., Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., Marshall, A. J., Shenasa, F., Gaubert, A., Ferrer, F., Nguyen, A., Bradford, D. R., Rodgers, K., Sordo, L., Head, E., Shao, X., Wang, D. J. J., & Nation, D. A. (2025). Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits. Alzheimer's and Dementia, 21(1), Article e14396. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14396

Engstrom, AC, Alitin, JPM, Kapoor, A, Dutt, S, Lohman, T, Sible, IJ, Marshall, AJ, Shenasa, F, Gaubert, A, Ferrer, F, Nguyen, A, Bradford, DR, Rodgers, K, Sordo, L, Head, E, Shao, X, Wang, DJJ & Nation, DA 2025, 'Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits', Alzheimer's and Dementia, vol. 21, no. 1, e14396. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14396

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title = "Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits",

abstract = "INTRODUCTION: Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibit deficits in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), suggesting CVR is a biomarker for vascular contributions to MCI. This study examined if spontaneous CVR is associated with MCI and memory impairment. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one older adults free of dementia or major neurological/psychiatric disorders were recruited. Participants underwent clinical interviews, cognitive testing, venipuncture for Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Spontaneous CVR was quantified during 5 minutes of rest. Respiratory gases analyzed through nasal cannula to quantify end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) levels were used to estimate CVR. RESULTS: Whole brain CVR was negatively associated with age, but not MCI. Lower CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) was found in participants with MCI and was linked to worse memory performance on memory tests. Results remained significant after adjusting for AD biomarkers and vascular risk factors. DISCUSSION: Spontaneous CVR deficits in the PHG are observed in older adults with MCI and memory impairment, suggesting medial temporal microvascular dysfunction is observed in cognitive decline. Highlights: Aging is associated with decline in whole brain spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Older adults with mild cognitive impairment exhibit deficits in spontaneous CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Memory impairment is correlated with reduced spontaneous CVR in the PHG.",

keywords = "amnestic mild cognitive impairment, memory impairment, mild cognitive impairment, spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity",

author = "Engstrom, {Allison C.} and Alitin, {John Paul M.} and Arunima Kapoor and Shubir Dutt and Trevor Lohman and Sible, {Isabel J.} and Marshall, {Anisa J.} and Fatemah Shenasa and Aim{\'e}e Gaubert and Farrah Ferrer and Amy Nguyen and Bradford, {David Robert} and Kathleen Rodgers and Lorena Sordo and Elizabeth Head and Xingfeng Shao and Wang, {Danny J.J.} and Nation, {Daniel A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.",

year = "2025",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1002/alz.14396",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "21",

journal = "Alzheimer's and Dementia",

issn = "1552-5260",

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T1 - Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits

AU - Engstrom, Allison C.

AU - Alitin, John Paul M.

AU - Kapoor, Arunima

AU - Dutt, Shubir

AU - Lohman, Trevor

AU - Sible, Isabel J.

AU - Marshall, Anisa J.

AU - Shenasa, Fatemah

AU - Gaubert, Aimée

AU - Ferrer, Farrah

AU - Nguyen, Amy

AU - Bradford, David Robert

AU - Rodgers, Kathleen

AU - Sordo, Lorena

AU - Head, Elizabeth

AU - Shao, Xingfeng

AU - Wang, Danny J.J.

AU - Nation, Daniel A.

PY - 2025/1

Y1 - 2025/1

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibit deficits in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), suggesting CVR is a biomarker for vascular contributions to MCI. This study examined if spontaneous CVR is associated with MCI and memory impairment. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one older adults free of dementia or major neurological/psychiatric disorders were recruited. Participants underwent clinical interviews, cognitive testing, venipuncture for Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Spontaneous CVR was quantified during 5 minutes of rest. Respiratory gases analyzed through nasal cannula to quantify end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) levels were used to estimate CVR. RESULTS: Whole brain CVR was negatively associated with age, but not MCI. Lower CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) was found in participants with MCI and was linked to worse memory performance on memory tests. Results remained significant after adjusting for AD biomarkers and vascular risk factors. DISCUSSION: Spontaneous CVR deficits in the PHG are observed in older adults with MCI and memory impairment, suggesting medial temporal microvascular dysfunction is observed in cognitive decline. Highlights: Aging is associated with decline in whole brain spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Older adults with mild cognitive impairment exhibit deficits in spontaneous CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Memory impairment is correlated with reduced spontaneous CVR in the PHG.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibit deficits in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), suggesting CVR is a biomarker for vascular contributions to MCI. This study examined if spontaneous CVR is associated with MCI and memory impairment. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one older adults free of dementia or major neurological/psychiatric disorders were recruited. Participants underwent clinical interviews, cognitive testing, venipuncture for Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Spontaneous CVR was quantified during 5 minutes of rest. Respiratory gases analyzed through nasal cannula to quantify end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) levels were used to estimate CVR. RESULTS: Whole brain CVR was negatively associated with age, but not MCI. Lower CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) was found in participants with MCI and was linked to worse memory performance on memory tests. Results remained significant after adjusting for AD biomarkers and vascular risk factors. DISCUSSION: Spontaneous CVR deficits in the PHG are observed in older adults with MCI and memory impairment, suggesting medial temporal microvascular dysfunction is observed in cognitive decline. Highlights: Aging is associated with decline in whole brain spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Older adults with mild cognitive impairment exhibit deficits in spontaneous CVR in the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Memory impairment is correlated with reduced spontaneous CVR in the PHG.

KW - amnestic mild cognitive impairment

KW - memory impairment

KW - mild cognitive impairment

KW - spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity

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ER -

Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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