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Vascular risk factor detection and control may prevent Alzheimer's disease
de la Torre JC.. Ageing research reviews, 2010-04-10
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The vascular hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD), first proposed by us in 1993, provides substantial evidence that suggests vascular risk factors (VRF) play a critical role in the development of cognitive decline and AD during aging. Cardiovascular and carotid artery disease, two major risk factors to AD, can conspire or independently induce chronic brain hypoperfusion (CBH) decades before any symptoms of cognitive impairment are expressed. The pathologic construct linking CBH to cognitive impairment and AD remains unclear but evidence shows that it may provide an opportunity to intervene in the prevention or delay of dementia onset. A preliminary randomized clinical study in cognitively healthy middle age individuals to undergo screening using carotid Doppler ultrasound, echocardiography and ankle-brachial index is proposed. These office tools are non-invasive, cost-effective, easily applied in one session and relatively accurate procedures with no inherent harmful effects. More importantly, ultrasound can help identify asymptomatic patients most likely to develop progressive cognitive decline due to persistent CBH secondary to progressive cardiovascular or carotid artery pathology. When these VRF are detected within the heart or carotid arteries, optimal medical treatment or management may be indicated to prevent or slow down further disease progression that fosters cognitive deterioration generated from such conditions. Secondary screening tools such as neuroimaging, neurocognitive testing and CSF markers may be used to confirm ultrasound findings. Prevention-by-detection of VRF and target treatment, if found effective, could significantly promote healthier mental and physical aging and lessen the socio-economic calamity anticipated from the growing prevalence of dementia.
Key findings
- Prevention-by-detection of VRF and target treatment, if found effective, could significantly promote healthier mental and physical aging and lessen the socio-economic calamity anticipated from the growing prevalence of dementia.
Why it matters
This article proposes that vascular risk factors play a critical role in cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, and proposes a preliminary randomized clinical study using carotid Doppler ultrasound, echocardiography, and ankle-brachial index to screen cognitively healthy middle-aged individuals. It suggests that detecting and treating vascular risk factors could prevent or slow disease progression, but this is a proposal, not established prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Ageing research reviews) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Ageing Research Reviews: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 196 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.9 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jack C. de la Torre: h-index 28 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Banner Sun Health Research Institute: institution h-index 285 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20385255) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
de la Torre, J. C. (2010). Vascular risk factor detection and control may prevent Alzheimer's disease. Ageing research reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2010.04.002
Vancouver
de la Torre JC. Vascular risk factor detection and control may prevent Alzheimer's disease. Ageing research reviews. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2010.04.002. PMID: 20385255.
BibTeX
@article{delatorre2010-20385255,
author = {de la Torre, J. C.},
title = {{Vascular risk factor detection and control may prevent Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Ageing research reviews},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1016/j.arr.2010.04.002},
pmid = {20385255},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2010.04.002}
}
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