Higher BMI is associated with reduced brain volume in heart failure.

Background: Heart failure (HF) patients are at risk for structural brain changes due to cerebral hypoperfusion. Past work shows obesity is linked with reduced cerebral blood flow and associated with brain atrophy in healthy individuals, although its effects on the brain in HF are unclear. This study examined the association among body mass index (BMI), cerebral perfusion, and brain volume in HF patients.

Better adherence to treatment recommendations in heart failure predicts improved cognitive function at a one-year follow-up.

Introduction: Treatment nonadherence is common in heart failure (HF) and is associated with poor health outcomes in this population. Recent cross-sectional work in heart failure and past work in other medical populations suggest that cognitive function is a key determinant of a patient's ability to adhere to treatment recommendations. However, it is also possible that treatment adherence is an important modifier and predictor of cognitive function, though no study has examined this possibility, and we sought to do so in a sample of heart failure patients.

Cardiac rehabilitation is associated with lasting improvements in cognitive function in older adults with heart failure.

Objective: Heart failure (HF) is a known risk factor for cognitive impairment. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) may attenuate poor neurocognitive outcomes in HF via improved physical fitness--a significant promoter of cognitive function. However, no study has examined the possible acute and lasting benefits of CR on cognitive function in persons with HF.

Obesity and cognitive dysfunction in heart failure: the role of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and physical fitness.

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in heart failure. Obesity is a known risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in heart failure, though the mechanisms remain unclear. Obesity increases risk for conditions like hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as poor fitness levels, and this may serve as one possible pathway accounting for association between obesity and cognitive dysfunction.

Decreased physical activity predicts cognitive dysfunction and reduced cerebral blood flow in heart failure.

Objective: Cognitive impairment in heart failure (HF) is believed to result from brain hypoperfusion subsequent to cardiac dysfunction. Physical inactivity is prevalent in HF and correlated with reduced cardiac and cognitive function. Yet, no longitudinal studies have examined the neurocognitive effects of physical inactivity in HF.

Greater physical activity is associated with better cognitive function in heart failure.

Objective: Nearly 6 million Americans have heart failure (HF), up to 80% of which exhibit cognitive deficits on testing. Physical inactivity is common in HF, yet little is known about the possible contribution of physical inactivity to cognitive dysfunction in this population.

Method: Older adults with HF (N = 93; Mage = 68.

Reduced cerebral blood flow and white matter hyperintensities predict poor sleep in heart failure.

Background: Poor sleep is common in heart failure (HF), though mechanisms of sleep difficulties are not well understood. Adverse brain changes among regions important for sleep have been demonstrated in patients with HF. Cerebral hypoperfusion, a correlate of sleep quality, is also prevalent in HF and a likely contributor to white matter hyperintensities (WMH).

Reduced cerebral perfusion predicts greater depressive symptoms and cognitive dysfunction at a 1-year follow-up in patients with heart failure.

Objective: Cerebral hypoperfusion is common in heart failure (HF) and believed to underlie poor neurocognitive outcomes in this population. Up to 42% of HF patients also exhibit depressive symptomatology that may stem from reduced cerebral blood flow. However, no study has examined this possibility or whether reduced brain perfusion increases risk for future cognitive dysfunction in older adults with HF.

Cognitive performance in older adults with stable heart failure: longitudinal evidence for stability and improvement.

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in heart failure (HF), though substantial variability in the pattern of cognitive impairment is found across studies. To clarify the nature of cognitive impairment in HF, we examined longitudinal trajectories across multiple domains of cognition in HF patients using latent growth class modeling. 115 HF patients completed a neuropsychological battery at baseline, 3-months and 12-months.

The interactive effects of cerebral perfusion and depression on cognitive function in older adults with heart failure.

Objective: Depression is common among persons with heart failure (HF) and has been linked to cognitive impairment in this population. The mechanisms of this relationship are unclear, and the current study examined whether cerebral perfusion moderates the association between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment in patients with HF.

Methods: Persons with HF (n = 89; mean [standard deviation] age = 67.

Reduced cognitive function predicts functional decline in patients with heart failure over 12 months.

Background: Occurrences of impaired activities of daily living (ADL) are common in heart failure (HF) patients and contribute to the elevated mortality and hospitalization rates in this population. Cognitive impairment is also prevalent in HF, though its ability to predict functional decline over time is unknown.

Aims: This study examined the longitudinal pattern of activities of daily living (ADL) in HF persons and whether reduced baseline cognitive status predicts functional decline in this population.

Independent and interactive effects of blood pressure and cardiac function on brain volume and white matter hyperintensities in heart failure.

Background: Reduced systemic perfusion and comorbid medical conditions are key contributors to adverse brain changes in heart failure (HF). Hypertension, the most common co-occurring condition in HF, accelerates brain atrophy in aging populations. However, the independent and interactive effects of blood pressure and systemic perfusion on brain structure in HF have yet to be investigated.

Dietary habits moderate the association between heart failure and cognitive impairment.

Cognitive impairment is common in heart failure patients. Poor dietary habits are associated with reduced neurocognitive function in other medical populations, including diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. This study examined whether dietary habits help moderate the relationship between heart failure severity and cognitive function.

Executive dysfunction is independently associated with reduced functional independence in heart failure.

Aims And Objectives: To examine the independent association between executive function with instrumental activities of daily living and health behaviours in older adults with heart failure.

Background: Executive function is an important contributor to functional independence as it consists of cognitive processes needed for decision-making, planning, organising and behavioural monitoring. Impairment in this domain is common in heart failure patients and associated with reduced performance of instrumental activities of daily living in many medical and neurological populations.

Cardiovascular fitness associated with cognitive performance in heart failure patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: Reduced cognitive function is common in persons with heart failure (HF). Cardiovascular fitness is a known contributor to cognitive function in many patient populations, but has only been linked to cognition based on estimates of fitness in HF. The current study examined the relationship between fitness as measured by metabolic equivalents (METs) from a standardized stress test and cognition in persons with HF, as well as the validity of office-based predictors of fitness in this population.

Poorer physical fitness is associated with reduced structural brain integrity in heart failure.

Objective: Physical fitness is an important correlate of structural and functional integrity of the brain in healthy adults. In heart failure (HF) patients, poor physical fitness may contribute to cognitive dysfunction and we examined the unique contribution of physical fitness to brain structural integrity among patients with HF.

Methods: Sixty-nine HF patients performed the Modified Mini Mental State examination (3MS) and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Cerebral perfusion is associated with white matter hyperintensities in older adults with heart failure.

Cognitive impairment is common in heart failure (HF) and believed to be the result of cerebral hypoperfusion and subsequent brain changes including white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). The current study examined the association between cerebral blood flow and WMHs in patients with HF and the relationship between WMHs and cognitive impairment. Sixty-nine patients with HF completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and underwent echocardiography, transcranial Doppler sonography for cerebral blood flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery, and brain magnetic resonance imaging.

The adverse impact of type 2 diabetes on brain volume in heart failure.

Objective: Heart failure (HF) is associated with structural brain abnormalities, including atrophy in multiple brain regions. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent comorbid condition in HF and is associated with abnormalities on neuroimaging in other medical and elderly samples. The current study examined whether comorbid T2DM exacerbates brain atrophy in older adults with HF.

Apathy and cognitive test performance in patients undergoing cardiac testing.

Background. Psychiatric comorbidity is common in patients with cardiovascular disease, with the literature indicating that this population may be at risk for apathy. The current study examined the prevalence of apathy in patients with cardiovascular disease and its relation to aspects of cognitive function.

Depressive symptomatology, exercise adherence, and fitness are associated with reduced cognitive performance in heart failure.

Objective: Depression is common in heart failure (HF) and associated with reduced cognitive function. The current study used structrual equation modeling to examine whether depression adversely impacts cognitive function in HF through its adverse affects on exercise adherence and cardiovascular fitness.

Method: 158 HF patients completed neuropsychological testing, physical fitness test, Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), and measures assessing exercise adherence and physical exertion.

Obesity interacts with cerebral hypoperfusion to exacerbate cognitive impairment in older adults with heart failure.

Background: Cerebral hypoperfusion accompanies heart failure (HF) and is associated with reduced cognitive performance. Obesity is prevalent in persons with HF and is also a likely contributor to cognitive function, as it has been independently linked to cognitive impairment in healthy individuals. The current study examined the association between obesity and cognitive performance among older adults with HF and whether obesity interacts with cerebral hypoperfusion to exacerbate cognitive impairment.

Cognitive function and treatment adherence in older adults with heart failure.

Objective: Treatment recommendation and guidelines for patients with heart failure (HF) can be complex, and past work has shown that patients with HF demonstrate low rates of adherence to recommended health behaviors. Although previous work has identified several medical, demographic, and psychosocial predictors of the capacity to adhere to treatment recommendations of persons with HF, little is known about the contribution of cognitive impairment to reported treatment adherence in this population.

Methods: A total of 149 persons with HF (mean [standard deviation] = 68.

The independent association of hypertension with cognitive function among older adults with heart failure.

Objective: Hypertension is the most common comorbidity among heart failure (HF) patients and has been independently linked with cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is prevalent among HF patients, though the extent to which hypertension contributes to cognitive function in this population is unclear.

Methods: 116 HF patients (31.

Depression is associated with reduced physical activity in persons with heart failure.

Objective: Reduced physical activity is common in persons with heart failure (HF). However, studies of correlates and modifiers of physical activity in this population rarely employ objective measures. Motivational and mood related factors that may exacerbate inactivity in HF patients are also rarely investigated.

Sleep apnea and cognitive function in heart failure.

Background. Prior research indicates that heart failure (HF) patients exhibit significant cognitive deficits on neuropsychological testing. Sleep apnea is associated with both HF and reduced cognitive function, but the combined impact of these conditions on cognitive function is unknown.