Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Coronary Artery Calcium Progression and Cognitive Function in Midlife—The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study
- prospective CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study, a longitudinal cohort
Authors' conclusion
CAC progression was associated with worse midlife processing speed and global cognition, independent of baseline CAC score and established risk factors. Repeated CAC assessments may offer clinical value for identifying individuals at increased risk for midlife cognitive decline.
Study context
- Population
- Black and White adults aged 18 to 30 years at baseline of CARDIA, with coronary artery calcium (CAC) measured by computed tomography at year 15 and at least 1 follow-up CAC measurement at years 20 or 25, and cognitive assessments at years 30 or 35mean baseline age 40.3±3.6 years, 56% female
- Participants
- 2,341 participants
- Exposure
- baseline CAC score and CAC progression versus no progression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cognitive function by baseline CAC >0
baseline CAC >0
9%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | baseline CAC >0 | baseline CAC 0 | CAC progression | no progression | standardized cognitive difference (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive function by CAC progression · Digit Symbol Substitution Test | Not reported in the abstract | Not reported in the abstract | 26% | Not reported in the abstract | −0.14 (−0.23 to −0.06) | |
| Cognitive function by CAC progression · Montreal Cognitive Assessment | −0.09 (−0.17 to −0.01) | |||||
| −0.3−0.2−0.100.1Difference (linear scale) |
- Cognitive function by CAC progression: adjusted for demographics, education, physical activity, depressive symptoms, APOE ε4 allele, and baseline CAC score
Cognitive function by CAC progression
- CAC progression associated with lower processing speed and global cognition
Original publication
Coronary Artery Calcium Progression and Cognitive Function in Midlife—The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Circ Popul Health Outcomes. Published 16 February 2026. doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.125.012646
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it