Many of the phenotypic correlates of dementia in this study have been also linked to cardiovascular pathologies and include age, markers of atherosclerosis, physical activity, metabolic syndrome (coronary artery calcification, liver to spleen attenuation ratio, carotid IMT, pulse pressure and measures of physical activity), subclinical myocyte damage (hsTroponin), myocardial stress (hsTroponin, NT-proBNP), inflammation (TNFsr and IL-2sr) and vascular function (aortic strain). The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is atherosclerosis.