(P01-010-25) Vascular Roads to a Healthier Brain : Carotenoids Moderate the Influence of Arterial Stiffness on Cognitive Function

Objectives: Arterial stiffness, assessed via pulse wave velocity (PWV), is a marker of vascular aging that may contribute to cognitive decline. Serum carotenoids, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may mitigate these effects. This study investigated: (1) the relationship between PWV and executive function, (2) the contribution of serum carotenoids in predicting PWV, and (3) the potential moderating effects of carotenoids on the PWV-executive function relationship.

Methods: 71 adults between the ages of 19–75 (39.4±17.2 yrs, 72% female) were evaluated for carotid-femoral PWV using applanation tonometry, executive function via behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures during the Flanker and Go/No-Go tasks, and serum carotenoid levels (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, lycopene, and cryptoxanthin). Multiple linear regression examined the relationship between PWV and executive function (adjusted for age, sex, BMI). Relative importance analysis identified key carotenoids associated with PWV, while moderation analysis tested whether carotenoids buffered the relationship between PWV and executive function.

Results: Higher PWV was associated with slower P3 Peak latency during Go target trials (β = 0.35, p= .02) and N2 peak latency during No-Go target trials (β = 0.34, p= .03). Lycopene (relative importance = 47.7%), zeaxanthin (26.2%), and lutein (19.1%) were the strongest predictors of PWV. Serum lutein moderated the relationship between PWV and executive function, attenuating its adverse effects on congruent reaction time (β = 0.48, p= .04) and P3 congruent peak latency (β = 0.53, p= .04) during the Flanker task, as well as N2 peak latency during Go (β = 0.52, p= .04) and No-Go (β = 0.77, p= .001) target trials. Other carotenoids showed no significant moderation effects.

Conclusions: This study highlights the role of arterial stiffness on executive function, with serum lycopene, zeaxanthin, and lutein as key predictors of PWV. Lutein uniquely attenuated the adverse effects of PWV on reaction time and ERP measures, suggesting its potential to mitigate vascular-related cognitive impairments. Future intervention research is needed to test the effects of carotenoid-rich diets, particularly those high in lutein, on cognitive and vascular health in at-risk populations.

Funding Sources: None