Takeaway
Cardiovascular risk factor exposures in early life, such as increased body weight and blood pressure, are linked to greater cognitive decline later in life.
Why this matters
This novel study is the first to demonstrate that cardiovascular risk factor exposure in early adulthood increases the risk of cognitive decline in later life. The findings suggest that reducing cardiovascular risk factors in early adulthood could benefit cognitive function in later life, but that treatment in very late-life may be too late to improve these outcomes.