Table 4

Results of structural equation modelling for model 3: vascular risk, brain and cognition

βs SEP value
Associations between vascular risk and brain MRI
biomarkers
 Overweight → Brain−0.0670.101
 Overweight → Brain −0.116 0.173
 Insulin sensitivity → Brain0.5590.081 <0.001
 Insulin sensitivity → Brain 0.029 0.006 <0.001
 Plasma cholesterol/HDL → Brain−0.0380.101
 Plasma cholesterol/HDL → Brain −0.010 0.037
 Plasma homocysteine → Brain0.1770.315
 Plasma homocysteine → Brain 0.175 0.372
 Hypertension → Brain0.0760.106
 Hypertension → Brain 0.032 0.042
Associations between brain and cognitive measures
 Brain → Memory0.0320.125
 Brain → Memory 0.042 0.123
 Brain → Executive function−0.0320.101
 Brain → Executive function −0.037 0.101
 Brain → Language−0.3250.095
 Brain → Language −0.327 0.095
Associations between vascular risk and cognitive measures
 Overweight → Memory−0.1950.119
 Overweight → Memory −0.191 0.119
 Overweight → Executive function−0.2300.0910.012
 Overweight → Executive function −0.229 0.091 0.012
 Overweight → Language−0.0060.095
 Overweight → Language −0.008 0.095
 Insulin sensitivity → Memory0.0820.116
 Insulin sensitivity → Memory 0.041 0.124
 Insulin sensitivity → Executive function−0.0720.097
 Insulin sensitivity → Executive function −0.064 0.096
 Insulin sensitivity → Language−0.4800.075<0.001
 Insulin sensitivity → Language −0.490 0.074 <0.001
 Plasma homocysteine → Memory−0.2980.164
 Plasma homocysteine → Memory −0.183 0.196
 Plasma homocysteine → Executive function−0.1900.140
 Plasma homocysteine → Executive function −0.188 0.122
 Plasma homocysteine → Language−0.2180.338
 Plasma homocysteine → Language −0.358 0.294
 Cholesterol/HDL → Memory−0.0510.115
 Cholesterol/HDL → Memory −0.042 0.112
 Cholesterol/HDL → Executive function−0.1380.097
 Cholesterol/HDL → Executive function −0.030 0.101
 Cholesterol/HDL → Language−0.0570.096
 Cholesterol/HDL → Language −0.052 0.095
 Hypertension → Memory−0.0840.129
 Hypertension → Memory −0.084 0.130
 Hypertension → Executive function−0.0920.099
 Hypertension → Executive function −0.073 0.098
 Hypertension → Language−0.1760.095
 Hypertension → Language −0.179 0.094

  • The table consists of standardised betas (βs), their SEs, and P values of the estimates from the full model with age entered as a covariate. The βs can be interpreted as partial correlations. Only significant P values (two tailed) are reported. Paths in italics are adjusted for sex and APOE status as covariates.

  • HDL, high-density lipoprotein.