Neurovascular coupling, cognition, and cardiac function in stroke-free atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is linked to cognitive impairment even without overt stroke, potentially via neurovascular coupling (NVC) dysfunction. We aimed to determine whether alterations in NVC mediate the relationship between cardiac structural remodeling and cognitive deficits in stroke-free AF (sfAF) patients.

Methods

This prospective cohort study evaluated participants who underwent MR brain scans, transthoracic echocardiography, and completed neuropsychological assessments. We used a neurovascular coupling approach, combining fMRI metrics (amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC)) with regional cerebral blood flow maps. Mediation analysis were conducted to explore the relat

SUBMITTER: Yue S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12775862 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature