Homocysteine Reduction for Stroke Prevention: Regarding the Recent AHA/ASA 2021 Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack.

Reduction of secondary ischemic stroke risk following an initial stroke is an important goal. The 2021 Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack assembles opportunities for up to 80% secondary stroke reduction. Homocysteine reduction was not included in the recommendations.

Sleep movements and respiratory coupling as a biobehavioral metric for early Alzheimer's disease in independently dwelling adults.

Introduction: Sleep disorder is often the first symptom of age-related cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) observed in primary care. The relationship between sleep and early AD was examined using a patented sleep mattress designed to record respiration and high frequency movement arousals. A machine learning algorithm was developed to classify sleep features associated with early AD.

Higher yogurt intake is associated with lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals: Cross-sectional findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal study.

Associations between fermented dairy products and blood pressure are unclear. The current study therefore examined the association between yogurt and blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional analyses were undertaken on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

Human Errors in Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurement: Still Room for Improvement.

In this review of the literature and commentary, we examine the literature on automated blood pressure (BP) measurements in the office and clinic. Our purpose is to revisit issues as to the pros and cons of automated BP measurement published in in June 2020 and to identify areas needing additional research. Despite initial reservations about automated BP, it is here to stay.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

Hypertension is a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) may be associated with improvements in blood pressure. However, few studies have examined the association between MedDiet adherence and blood pressure in non-Mediterranean populations, and findings are mixed.

Dairy food intake, diet patterns, and health: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

This study compared the intake of yogurt and other dairy foods in relation to other dietary habits, and associations with cardiovascular health indicators. Comparative analyses of dietary intakes and cardiometabolic health indicators were conducted in participants from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, conducted in 2001-2006 ( = 699). Participants (10.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with cognitive function in an older non-Mediterranean sample: findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with higher cognitive function and reduced risk of dementia in Mediterranean populations. However, few studies have investigated the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognition in populations outside of the Mediterranean basin. Furthermore, it is currently unknown whether the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognitive function differs between middle-aged and older individuals.

Depressive symptoms prospectively predict cardiovascular disease among older adults: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

A recent meta-analysis identified a prospective association between depression and cardiovascular disease; however, there was no association for studies with long-term follow-up periods. The literature has primarily focused on baseline depression status or symptoms, which may not capture the chronic nature of depression. This study examined the prospective relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease up to 15 years later in 274 cardiovascular disease-free older adults.

Poorer Visual Acuity Is Associated with Declines in Cognitive Performance Across Multiple Cognitive Domains: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

Objectives: Prior studies have found associations between visual acuity (VA) and cognitive function. However, these studies used a limited range of cognitive measures and did not control for cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVD-RFs) and baseline function. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the associations of VA and cognitive performance using a thorough neuropsychological test battery.

Associations between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Arterial Stiffness: A Prospective Analysis Based on the Maine-Syracuse Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate prospective associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus status and the gold standard non-invasive method for ascertaining arterial stiffness, carotid femoral pulse wave velocity.

Methods: The prospective analysis employed 508 community-dwelling participants (mean age 61 years, 60% women) from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Pulse wave velocity at wave 7 (2006-2010) was compared between those with type 2 diabetes mellitus at wave 6 (2001-2006) ( = 52) and non-diabetics at wave 6 ( = 456), with adjustment for demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle- and pulse wave velocity-related factors.

Clinical Trials of Blood Pressure Lowering and Antihypertensive Medication: Is Cognitive Measurement State-of-the-Art?

Randomized controlled trials of blood pressure (BP) lowering and antihypertensive medication use on cognitive outcomes have often been disappointing, reporting mixed findings and small effect sizes. We evaluate the extent to which cognitive assessment protocols used in these trials approach state-of-the-art. Overall, we find that a primary focus on cognition and the systematic selection of cognitive outcomes across trials take a backseat to other trial goals.

Systolic orthostatic hypotension is related to lowered cognitive function: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between orthostatic changes in blood pressure (BP) and cognition, with consideration given to cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle variables. The cross-sectional analysis included 961 community-dwelling participants of the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, for whom BP clinic measures (five sitting, five recumbent, and five standing) were obtained. Eighteen percent of participants had orthostatic hypotension (fall in systolic BP ≥20 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥10 mm Hg upon standing) and 6% had orthostatic hypertension (rise in systolic BP ≥20 mm Hg).

Age modifies the relation between intraindividual measurement-to-measurement variation in blood pressure and cognitive function: the Maine-Syracuse Study.

Background: There is evidence to suggest that intraindividual variability in blood pressure (BP IIV) may be superior to mean BP for predicting cognitive function, taken from both within a single visit and between-visits. BP IIV increases with age in studies of persons middle-aged and older. The aim was therefore to investigate age by BP IIV (SBP and DBP) interactions with regard to cognitive functioning while considering medication class and polypharmacy, which may also affect BP IIV with advancing age.