title: Blood pressure and cognitive function: the role of central aortic and brachial pressures.
abstract: Central (aortic) blood pressures differ from brachial pressures and may be more relevant to the study of cognitive function, given that blood is delivered to the brain through the central large arteries. Pulse-pressure amplification reflects the augmentation of blood pressure between the central and peripheral arteries, which diminishes with aging. We aimed to determine the association between central blood pressure and cognitive function in independently living adults aged 20 to 82 years (N = 493). In adjusted regression models, higher central systolic pressure and higher central pulse pressure were each associated with poorer processing speed, Stroop processing, and recognition memory. Lower amplification was associated with poorer Stroop processing, working memory, and recognition memory. Higher brachial systolic pressure and brachial pulse pressure were both associated with poorer Stroop processing. In summary, central pressures and amplification were sensitive indicators of cognitive aging, predicting aspects of cognitive performance not predicted by brachial blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: 1Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Pase
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stough
authors.forename: Natalie A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Grima
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Macpherson
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Scholey
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pipingas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: blood pressure; brain; central pressure; cognition; cognitive ability; cognitive neuroscience; dementia; hypertension; nervous system disorders; pulse-pressure amplification