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Vascular risk at younger ages most strongly associates with current and future brain volume
Pase MP, Davis-Plourde K, Himali JJ, Satizabal CL, Aparicio H, Seshadri S, Beiser AS, DeCarli C.. Neurology, 2018-09-19
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective Given the potential therapeutic effect of vascular disease control timing to reduce dementia risk, we investigated the age-related influences of vascular risk factor burden on brain structure throughout the lifespan. Methods We studied participants from the community-based prospective Framingham Heart Study. Overall vascular risk factor burden was calculated according to the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile, a validated algorithm that predicts stroke risk.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Pase, M. P., Davis-Plourde, K., Himali, J. J., Satizabal, C. L., Aparicio, H., Seshadri, S., et al. (2018). Vascular risk at younger ages most strongly associates with current and future brain volume. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000006360
Vancouver
Pase MP, Davis-Plourde K, Himali JJ, Satizabal CL, Aparicio H, Seshadri S, et al. Vascular risk at younger ages most strongly associates with current and future brain volume. Neurology. 2018. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000006360. PMID: 30232248.
BibTeX
@article{pase2018-30232248,
author = {Pase, M. P. and Davis-Plourde, K. and Himali, J. J. and Satizabal, C. L. and Aparicio, H. and Seshadri, S. and Beiser, A. S. and DeCarli, C.},
title = {{Vascular risk at younger ages most strongly associates with current and future brain volume}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000006360},
pmid = {30232248},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000006360}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Methods We studied participants from the community-based prospective Framingham Heart Study.
- Overall vascular risk factor burden was calculated according to the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile, a validated algorithm that predicts stroke risk.
- We used cross-sectional data to examine how the strength of association between vascular risk factor burden and brain volume changed across each age decade from age 45-54 years through to 85-94 years (N = 2,887).
- Second, we leveraged up to 40 years of longitudinal data to determine how the strength of association between vascular risk factor burden and brain volume changed when vascular risk factors were examined at progressively earlier ages (N = 7,868).
Why it matters
This Framingham Heart Study analysis found that vascular risk factor burden at younger ages was most strongly associated with current and future brain volume. It is an observational study, so it cannot prove that controlling vascular risk factors at younger ages prevents dementia.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants2,887
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,887 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 57 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.7 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Charles S DeCarli: h-index 150 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30232248) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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