Loading...
Vascular changes are associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline and dementia. Researchers from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study investigated whether retinal vascular changes were associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline during a 20-year period among 12,313 men and women between ages 50 and 73 at baseline. A composite cognitive score that included memory, language, and executive function/attention tasks was calculated over three time points. Participants were classified as having no, mild, or moderate/severe retinopathy based on the presence of microaneurysms, retinal hemorrhages, or soft exudates on retinal fundus photography at visit 3 (4–8 years after baseline). Arteriolar changes were identified, …