The following is a summary of “Coronary Artery Calcium and Cognitive Decline in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study,” published in the November 2023 issue of Cardiology by Gadde et al.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and cognitive function in individuals diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes.

Utilizing data from the Diabetes Prevention Program, a trial assessing interventions for type 2 diabetes prevention among prediabetic patients, the researchers conducted a comprehensive examination 14 years after the initial randomization. Pa

rticipants underwent computed tomography for CAC assessment and cognitive function evaluations using the Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (SEVLT) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test. At the 19-year mark, cognitive assessments included the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam. Their analysis, involving 1,931 participants, utilized linear and logistic regression to scrutinize the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between CAC levels and cognition. Initial findings showed that individuals with a CAC score exceeding 300 exhibited decreased performance across all cognitive tests compared to those without calcification. Moreover, a CAC score exceeding 300 correlated with a more substantial five-year decline in SEVLT Immediate Recall for both sexes and SEVLT Delayed Recall for women. Following adjustments for multiple demographic, genetic, metabolic, vascular, and behavioral factors, the association between CAC score >300 and cognitive decline remained significant, particularly in relation to SEVLT Delayed Recall in women.

In summary, among women diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, a CAC score surpassing 300, in contrast to no calcification, demonstrated an independent association with a pronounced decline in verbal memory.

Source: ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.029671