BACKGROUND: The association of central arterial stiffness and pressure pulsatility with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia is not well characterized in the population-based setting.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to quantify the cross-sectional association of arterial stiffness and pressure pulsatility with MCI and dementia among 4,461 older white and black adults from the population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study-Neurocognitive Study.

METHODS: We used race-stratified multinomial logistic regression to evaluate associations of percentile cut points of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, central systolic blood pressure, central pulse pressure, and pulse pressure amplification with MCI and dementia versus no cognitive impairment.

RESULTS: Among whites, those with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity or central systolic blood pressure ≥75th percentile had a higher prevalence of MCI compared to participants 25th percentile (OR 1.65; (95% CI: 1.01, 2.70). Weaker associations were seen among black participants.

CONCLUSION: Higher arterial stiffness and pulsatility were associated with MCI and dementia in white participants. Longitudinal characterization of the observed associations is warranted to assess whether arterial stiffness and pressure pulsatility predict MCI and dementia among older adults.