ABSTRACT
The brain is an intricately vascular target organ of the circulatory system, receiving approximately 15% of the heart’s cardiac output – a significant proportion considering it accounts for only 2% of human body weight (Sokoloff, 1997). When cardiovascular health is compromised either acutely or chronically, brain health and neurocognition can be threatened as well. The impact of clinical cardiovascular diseases on brain structure and function has been studied extensively, with documented associations between multiple diseases (e.g., coronary artery disease, hypertension) and neurocognitive function (Waldstein, Wendell, Hosey, Seliger, & Katzel, 2010). An emerging literature suggests that subclinical cardiovascular diseases may also lead to decrements in neurocognitive function.
