William M. Feinberg Lecture: Cognitive vitality and the role of stroke and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Vascular risk factors are common in the elderly, and some such as hypertension may be important predictors of cognitive impairment. SUMMARY OF REVIEW In this article, the role that vascular risk factors may play in the prevention of vascular and nonvascular forms of cognitive impairment is reviewed. CONCLUSIONS Because vascular risk factors may have negative effects on brain structure and cognitive function, and because vascular risk factors may be present in midlife or possibly earlier, we may need to develop long-term intervention strategies to control or prevent vascular risk factors in an effort to preserve cognitive vitality as we age.