TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of heart rate variability with cognitive performance
T2 - the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis
AU - Schaich, Christopher L.
AU - Malaver, Diego
AU - Chen, Haiying
AU - Shaltout, Hossam A.
AU - Hazzouri, Adina Zeki Al
AU - Herrington, David M.
AU - Hughes, Timothy M.
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr Schaich was supported by a training grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (T32-HL076132), a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (F32-HL146075), and a grant from the National Institute on Aging (R03-AG064569). The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is supported by contracts 75N92020D00001, HHSN268201500003I, N01-HC-95159, 75N92020D00005, N01-HC-95160, 75N92020D00002, N01-HC-95161, 75N92020D00003, N01-HC-95162, 75N92020D00006, N01-HC-95163, 75N92020D00004, N01-HC-95164, 75N92020D00007, N01-HC-95165, N01-HC-95166, N01-HC-95167, N01-HC-95168 and N01-HC-95169 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and by grants UL1-TR-000040, UL1-TR-001079, and UL1-TR-001420 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with vascular risk factors for dementia, but whether HRV is associated with specific domains of cognitive performance is unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (N=3018; mean age 59.3±9.2 years), we assessed the relationship of 10-second HRV to scores on tests of global cognitive performance (Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument), processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding), and working memory (Digit Span). HRV was computed as the SD of normal-normal intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) at Exam 1 (2000–2002) and Exam 5 (2010–2012). Cognitive tests were administered at Exam 5. We report regression coefficients (β [95% CI]) representing cognitive test score change per 2-fold increase in HRV. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, and cardiovascular risk factors and incident disease, higher Exam 1 (β=0.37 [0.06, 0.67]) and Exam 5 (β=0.31 [0.04, 0.59]) SDNN were associated with better Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument performance. Higher Exam 1 (β=0.80 [0.17, 1.43]) and Exam 5 (β=0.63 [0.06, 1.20]) SDNN, and Exam 5 RMSSD (β=0.54 [0.01, 1.08]) were associated with better Digit Symbol Coding performance. Finally, higher Exam 5 SDNN was associated with better Digit Span performance (β=0.17 [0.01, 0.33]). Associations were attenuated after adjustment for resting heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: Higher HRV is generally associated with better cognitive performance in this multi-ethnic cohort of aging adults, and further study of the relationship of autonomic function to cognition is warranted.
AB - BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with vascular risk factors for dementia, but whether HRV is associated with specific domains of cognitive performance is unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (N=3018; mean age 59.3±9.2 years), we assessed the relationship of 10-second HRV to scores on tests of global cognitive performance (Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument), processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding), and working memory (Digit Span). HRV was computed as the SD of normal-normal intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) at Exam 1 (2000–2002) and Exam 5 (2010–2012). Cognitive tests were administered at Exam 5. We report regression coefficients (β [95% CI]) representing cognitive test score change per 2-fold increase in HRV. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, and cardiovascular risk factors and incident disease, higher Exam 1 (β=0.37 [0.06, 0.67]) and Exam 5 (β=0.31 [0.04, 0.59]) SDNN were associated with better Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument performance. Higher Exam 1 (β=0.80 [0.17, 1.43]) and Exam 5 (β=0.63 [0.06, 1.20]) SDNN, and Exam 5 RMSSD (β=0.54 [0.01, 1.08]) were associated with better Digit Symbol Coding performance. Finally, higher Exam 5 SDNN was associated with better Digit Span performance (β=0.17 [0.01, 0.33]). Associations were attenuated after adjustment for resting heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: Higher HRV is generally associated with better cognitive performance in this multi-ethnic cohort of aging adults, and further study of the relationship of autonomic function to cognition is warranted.
KW - Aging
KW - Autonomic nervous system
KW - Cognitive performance
KW - Heart rate variability
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U2 - 10.1161/JAHA.119.013827
DO - 10.1161/JAHA.119.013827
M3 - Article
C2 - 32200711
AN - SCOPUS:85082275338
VL - 9
JO - Journal of the American Heart Association
JF - Journal of the American Heart Association
SN - 2047-9980
IS - 7
M1 - e013827
ER -