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Physical Fitness is a Mediator in the Relationship between Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Function

Artery Research volume 25, pages 151–155 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

To investigate physical fitness as a mediator of the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive function in seniors.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study comprising 155 individuals free from chronic diseases (75.5 ± 6.5 years; 69.7% female). Carotid-femoral pulse wave was assessed through applanation tonometry. Cognitive function was evaluated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Physical fitness was assessed through handgrip strength and Senior Fitness Test (SFT). A Z-score including individual physical fitness components was computed as a global index of physical fitness. Hayes’s PROCESS macro for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used for the simple mediation analysis, using bootstrapped procedures.

Results

After adjustments for sex and age, physical fitness Z-score mediated the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive function [Indirect effect = −0.382 (95% CI −0.670 to −0.138)].

Conclusion

Findings suggest that physical fitness, independently of sex and age, is a mediator on the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive function in seniors free from chronic diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 91, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal

    Alinne Nascimento, Duarte Barros, José Oliveira, Joana Carvalho & Lucimere Bohn

Authors
  1. Alinne Nascimento
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  2. Duarte Barros
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  3. José Oliveira
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  4. Joana Carvalho
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  5. Lucimere Bohn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucimere Bohn.

Additional information

Peer review under responsibility of the Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology

Data availability statement: Data available on request due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

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This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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Nascimento, A., Barros, D., Oliveira, J. et al. Physical Fitness is a Mediator in the Relationship between Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Function. Artery Res 25, 151–155 (2019). https://doi.org/10.2991/artres.k.191121.001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/artres.k.191121.001

Keywords

Artery Research

ISSN: 1876-4401

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