A longitudinal study of neuropsychological performance by hypertensives and normotensives: a third measurement point.
The neuropsychological test performance of hypertensive and normotensive subjects was compared at three times of measurement over a 10-year period. The tests used were among those that are most sensitive to brain impairment in the Halstead-Reitan battery. In addition to individual test measures, a widely used clinical index of battery-wide performance--the Average Impairment Rating (AIR)--was used. Hypertensives exhibited lower mean levels of performance on the AIR at all times of measurement. However, the Blood Pressure Group x Time of Measurement interactions were not statistically significant, indicating that hypertensives and normotensives did not exhibit a differential rate of change (decline or improvement) over time. Hypertensives also performed more poorly for a measure of learning set formation (categories test) and two tests of memory for forms experienced by touch only (tactile perception memory and localization tests). However, Blood Pressure x Time of Measurement interactions were not observed for these measures.
Elias
M F
MF
Department of Psychology, University of Maine.
Schultz
N R
NR
Robbins
M A
MA
Elias
P K
PK
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*