Not only are the effects of cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and low fitness on executive functions and brain activations in older adults scarcely investigated, no fMRI study has investigated the combined effects of multiple risk factors on brain activations in older adults. This fMRI study examined the independent and combined effects of two cardiovascular risk factors, arterial plasticity, and physical fitness, on brain activations during task-switching in older adults. The effects of these two risk factors on age-related differences in activation between older and younger adults were also examined. Independently, low physical fitness and low arterial plasticity were related to reduced suppressions of occipital brain regions. The combined effects of these two risks on occipital regions were greater than the independent effects of either risk factor. Age-related overactivations in frontal cortex were observed in low fitness older adults. Brain-behavior correlation indicates that these frontal overactivations are maladaptive to older adults’ task performance. It is possible that the resulting effects of cardiovascular risks on the aging brain, especially the maladaptive overactivations of frontal brain regions by high risk older adults, contribute to often found posterior-anterior shift in aging (PASA) brain activations. Furthermore, observed age-related differences in brain activations during task-switching can be partially attributed to individual differences in cardiovascular risks among older adults.

中文翻译：

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多项心血管危险因素对老年人任务转换的影响：一项 fMRI 研究

不仅高血压和低健康度等心血管危险因素对老年人执行功能和大脑活动的影响几乎没有研究，而且没有 fMRI 研究调查了多种危险因素对老年人大脑活动的综合影响。这项 fMRI 研究检查了两种心血管危险因素、动脉可塑性和身体健康对老年人任务转换期间大脑活动的独立和综合影响。还检查了这两个风险因素对老年人和年轻人之间与年龄相关的激活差异的影响。独立地，低体能和低动脉可塑性与枕叶脑区的抑制减少有关。这两种风险对枕部区域的综合影响大于任一风险因素的独立影响。在低健康老年人中观察到与年龄相关的额叶皮层过度激活。大脑行为相关性表明，这些额叶过度激活不适应老年人的任务表现。心血管风险对衰老大脑的由此产生的影响，尤其是高风险老年人大脑额叶区域的适应不良过度激活，可能导致经常发现的衰老后前移 (PASA) 大脑激活。此外，在任务转换期间观察到的与年龄相关的大脑激活差异可部分归因于老年人心血管风险的个体差异。在低健康老年人中观察到与年龄相关的额叶皮层过度激活。大脑行为相关性表明，这些额叶过度激活不适应老年人的任务表现。心血管风险对衰老大脑的由此产生的影响，尤其是高风险老年人大脑额叶区域的适应不良过度激活，可能导致经常发现的衰老后前移 (PASA) 大脑激活。此外，在任务转换期间观察到的与年龄相关的大脑激活差异可部分归因于老年人心血管风险的个体差异。在低健康老年人中观察到与年龄相关的额叶皮层过度激活。大脑行为相关性表明，这些额叶过度激活不适应老年人的任务表现。心血管风险对衰老大脑的由此产生的影响，尤其是高风险老年人大脑额叶区域的适应不良过度激活，可能导致经常发现的衰老后前移 (PASA) 大脑激活。此外，在任务转换期间观察到的与年龄相关的大脑激活差异可部分归因于老年人心血管风险的个体差异。心血管风险对衰老大脑的由此产生的影响，尤其是高风险老年人大脑额叶区域的适应不良过度激活，可能导致经常发现的衰老后前移 (PASA) 大脑激活。此外，在任务转换期间观察到的与年龄相关的大脑激活差异可部分归因于老年人心血管风险的个体差异。心血管风险对衰老大脑的由此产生的影响，尤其是高风险老年人大脑额叶区域的适应不良过度激活，可能导致经常发现的衰老后前移 (PASA) 大脑激活。此外，在任务转换期间观察到的与年龄相关的大脑激活差异可部分归因于老年人心血管风险的个体差异。