Abstract P334: The Impact of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Cognition in Adults With Down Syndrome

Introduction: Most adults with Down Syndrome (DS) will develop Alzheimer's disease. Evidence in the general population suggests that factors associated with cardiovascular health including, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness, and systolic blood pressure, are associated with better cognitive outcomes and decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Studies supporting these associations in adults with DS are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognition in adults with DS. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from a trial in adults with DS. Participants attended a laboratory visit where resting blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2 Peak ) and cognitive function (CANTAB ® DS Battery) were obtained. The cognitive battery included tests measuring multitasking, episodic memory, and reaction time. Physical activity (accelerometer) was collected over the week following the laboratory visit. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to measure the impact of systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognitive outcomes. Results: Complete data was available for 72 adults with DS (26.8 ± 9.3 years of age, 57% female). At baseline, VO 2 Peak (21.1 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min) and MVPA were low (14.4 ±14.4 min/day), and systolic blood pressure was 118.3 ± 13.3 mmHg. VO 2 Peak was correlated with simple movement time (rho = -0.28, p=0.03) but was not significant using a linear regression controlling for age and sex. Systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with episodic memory (first attempt memory score: β = -0.11, p=0.002; total errors: β = 0.58, p = 0.001) and reaction time (five-choice movement time: β = 4.11, p = 0.03; simple movement time: β = 6.14, p = 0.005) using age-and sex-adjusted linear regressions. No associations were observed between MVPA and multitasking, episodic memory, or reaction time. Conclusion: Cardiovascular risk factors, including cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure, were associated with cognition in adults with DS. Given the high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in adults with DS, future research examining cardiovascular health and Alzheimer's disease risk is warranted.