TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function
AU - Novak, Vera
AU - Hajjar, Ihab
N1 - Funding Information:
V. Novak was supported by grants 1R01AG028076-A2 and 1P01AG028717-01A2 from the National Institute on Aging, NIH and by grant 1R21DK084463-01A1 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH. I. Hajjar was supported by grant K23AG030057 from the National Institute on Aging, NIH. Charles P. Vega, University of California, Irvine, CA, is the author of and is solely responsible for the content of the learning objectives, questions and answers of the MedscapeCME-accredited continuing medical education activity associated with this article.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - The relationship between blood pressure (BP) and cognitive outcomes in elderly adults has implications for global health care. Both hypertension and hypotension affect brain perfusion and worsen cognitive outcomes. The presence of hypertension and other vascular risk factors has been associated with decreased performance in executive function and attention tests. Cerebrovascular reserve has emerged as a potential biomarker for monitoring pressure-perfusion-cognition relationships. A decline in vascular reserve capacity can lead to impaired neurovascular coupling and decreased cognitive ability. Endothelial dysfunction, microvascular disease, and mascrovascular disease in midlife could also have an important role in the manifestations and severity of multiple medical conditions underlying cognitive decline late in life. However, questions remain about the role of antihypertensive therapies for long-term prevention of cognitive decline. In this Review, we address the underlying pathophysiology and the existing evidence supporting the role of vascular factors in late-life cognitive decline.
AB - The relationship between blood pressure (BP) and cognitive outcomes in elderly adults has implications for global health care. Both hypertension and hypotension affect brain perfusion and worsen cognitive outcomes. The presence of hypertension and other vascular risk factors has been associated with decreased performance in executive function and attention tests. Cerebrovascular reserve has emerged as a potential biomarker for monitoring pressure-perfusion-cognition relationships. A decline in vascular reserve capacity can lead to impaired neurovascular coupling and decreased cognitive ability. Endothelial dysfunction, microvascular disease, and mascrovascular disease in midlife could also have an important role in the manifestations and severity of multiple medical conditions underlying cognitive decline late in life. However, questions remain about the role of antihypertensive therapies for long-term prevention of cognitive decline. In this Review, we address the underlying pathophysiology and the existing evidence supporting the role of vascular factors in late-life cognitive decline.
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U2 - 10.1038/nrcardio.2010.161
DO - 10.1038/nrcardio.2010.161
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20978471
AN - SCOPUS:78649444829
SN - 1759-5002
VL - 7
SP - 686
EP - 698
JO - Nature Reviews Cardiology
JF - Nature Reviews Cardiology
IS - 12
ER -