HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Izquierdo-Porrera, A. M. Articles by Waldstein, S. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Izquierdo-Porrera, A. M. Articles by Waldstein, S. R.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cognitive Function in African Americans

^a Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center
^b Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Shari R. Waldstein, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 E-mail: waldstei{at}umbc.edu.

Decision Editor: Margie E. Lachman, PhD

The present study examined the cross-sectional association of medically determined cardiovascular risk factors with cognitive function in 43 African Americans (aged 43–82 yr; 83% women). Measures of attention, memory, and executive functions were evaluated in relation to blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fitness level (peak O₂). Multiple regression analyses with age, education, number of antihypertensive medications, HbA1c, diastolic BP, and peak O₂ as predictors revealed significant (and marginally significant) associations between lower levels of fitness (peak O₂) and poorer executive functions and delayed verbal memory. Antihypertensive medications were associated with poorer attention, but better delayed verbal memory. In addition, greater levels of HbA1c were positively related to attention. These results suggest that cardiovascular risk factors are important predictors of cognitive function among middle-aged and older African Americans.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. W. Rebok, M. C. Carlson, and J. B. S. Langbaum Training and Maintaining Memory Abilities in Healthy Older Adults: Traditional and Novel Approaches J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., June 1, 2007; 62(suppl_Special_Issue_1): 53 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Morrow, D. Clark, W. Tu, J. Wu, M. Weiner, D. Steinley, and M. D. Murray Correlates of health literacy in patients with chronic heart failure. Gerontologist, October 1, 2006; 46(5): 669 - 676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. A. Sloan and J. Wang Disparities Among Older Adults in Measures of Cognitive Function by Race or Ethnicity J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., September 1, 2005; 60(5): P242 - P250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Robbins, M. F. Elias, P. K. Elias, and M. M. Budge Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in an African-American and a Caucasian-American Sample: The Maine-Syracuse Study Psychosom Med, September 1, 2005; 67(5): 707 - 714. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Birns, H. Markus, and L. Kalra Blood Pressure Reduction for Vascular Risk: Is There a Price To Be Paid? Stroke, June 1, 2005; 36(6): 1308 - 1313. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]