Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41175310›Full record

ArticleGeroScience2026

Arterial stiffness is associated with prefrontal cortex integrity in ageing.

Rachael Yu, Nicole Espinosa, Shawn Kong, Hamish Mundell, Johannes C Michaelian, Sharon L Naismith

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in GeroScience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rachael YuHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia. rachael.yu@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-6265-6015
Nicole EspinosaHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
Shawn KongHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
Hamish MundellHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
Johannes C MichaelianHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
Sharon L NaismithHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council APP1135639
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Arterial stiffness, measured using pulse-wave velocity (PWV), is linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia, yet the underlying structural brain mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined whether PWV is linked to cortical thickness of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region essential for cognitive functioning. 124 older adults aged > 50 years with new-onset cognitive concerns without history of stroke or dementia underwent carotid-femoral PWV, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and neuropsychological assessment. Cortical thickness of the medial, lateral and total prefrontal cortex was estimated using FastSurfer v2.4.0. Higher PWV was significantly correlated with reduced thickness of the total PFC (r = -.290, pFDR = .014), particularly of the left hemisphere (r = -.338, pFDR = .008). Significant associations were also found for the left medial PFC (r = -.238, pFDR = .014) and all lateral regions (left: r = -.338, pFDR = .002; right: r = -.287, pFDR = .009; total: r = -.394, pFDR < .001). Associations with the total, lateral, and left medial PFC remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, and traditional cardiovascular factors. Both increased PWV and decreased lateral PFC thickness were associated with poorer executive function, though no mediating role of the PFC was observed. This study is the first to demonstrate that PWV is associated with reduced cortical thickness of the PFC in older adults, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The findings highlight arterial stiffening as a potential modifiable risk factor of neurodegenerative and structural brain changes in ageing populations.

Indexed as

AgingPrefrontal CortexVascular StiffnessAgedCognitionFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsPulse Wave AnalysisArterial stiffnessCognitionDementiaExecutive functionPrefrontal cortexPulse-wave velocity

Identifiers

PMID41175310
PMCPMC13575065

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.