This study investigated the relationship between neurovascular coupling and cognitive function in elderly individuals with vascular risk factors to determine whether neurovascular coupling could be modified by cocoa consumption. Sixty older people were studied in a parallel- arm, double-blind clinical trial of neurovascular coupling and cognition in response to 24 hours and 30 days of cocoa consumption. Measures included Mini- Mental State Examination and Trail Making Test A and B. Neurovascular coupling was measured from the beat- to-beat blood flow velocity responses in the middle cerebral arteries to the N-Back Task. The results showed that neurovascular coupling was associated with Trails B scores and performance on the 2-Back Task. Higher coupling was also associated with significantly higher anisotropy in cerebral white matter hyperintensities. 30 days of cocoa consumption was associated with increased coupling and improved Trails B times in those with impaired neurovascular coupling at baseline. The authors conclude that there is a strong correlation between neurovascular coupling and cognitive function and that both can be improved by regular cocoa consumption in individuals with baseline impairments, and that better coupling is also associated with greater white matter structural integrity. Neurology. 2013 August. PMID: 23925758
