Critical flicker fusion frequency: relation to resting systolic blood pressure.
OBJECTIVE
Past studies have shown that a number of factors, both acute and chronic, influence individual differences in critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF). In this study, we assessed whether CFF co-varied with resting systolic blood pressure (SBP).


METHODS
SBP and CFF were assessed in one session in 221 subjects (mean age, 19.6 +/- 2.5 years), and SBP and CFF were assessed over 10 sessions in 12 subjects. CFF values were determined psychophysically using a 570 nm circular 1 degrees test field centrally fixated. Blood pressure was determined with an automated sphygmomanometer.


RESULTS
There was a significant (p < 0.0002) positive relation between CFF and SBP for the larger sample (n = 221). Significant within-subject relations were found for 6 of the 12 subjects tested repeatedly.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of results strongly suggests that CFF and resting SBP are positively related.
Gutherie
Audrey H
AH
Vision Sciences Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. ahix@uga.edu
Hammond
Billy R
BR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011601:Psychophysics; D019722:Sphygmomanometers