Stress-induced blood pressure reactivity and silent cerebrovascular disease.
OBJECTIVE
Exaggerated blood pressure (BP) responses to mental stress, an index of autonomic dysregulation, have been related to enhanced risk for stroke. This study examined cross-sectional relations of stress-induced BP reactivity to silent cerebrovascular disease assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in healthy older adults.


METHODS
Sixty-seven nondemented, community-dwelling older adults (ages 55 to 81; 75% male) free of major medical, neurological, or psychiatric disease, engaged in: (1) clinical assessment of resting systolic and diastolic BP; (2) assessment of systolic and diastolic BP responses to 3 laboratory-based mental stressors; and (3) MRI. MRIs were rated for small silent infarcts (> or =3 mm), infarct-like lesions (<3 mm), and periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH).


RESULTS
After adjustment for age, gender, resting clinic BP, and fasting glucose levels, higher systolic BP reactivity was associated with an increased number of small silent infarcts (r2=0.14; P=0.004) and greater severity ratings of periventricular (r2=0.08; P<0.04) and deep WMH (r2=0.06; P<0.05). Higher diastolic BP reactivity was similarly associated with an increased number of small silent infarcts (r2=0.08; P<0.04), and greater severity ratings of periventricular (r2=0.08; P<0.04) and deep WMH (r2=0.11; P=0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that greater stress-induced BP reactivity is associated with enhanced silent cerebrovascular disease on MRI in healthy asymptomatic older adults independent of resting BP levels. Exaggerated stress-induced BP reactivity warrants further examination as a potential biobehavioral risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.
Waldstein
Shari R
SR
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. waldstei@umbc.edu
Siegel
Eliot L
EL
Lefkowitz
David
D
Maier
Karl J
KJ
Brown
Jessica R Pelletier
JR
Obuchowski
Abraham M
AM
Katzel
Leslie I
LI
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*