High blood pressure may make it difficult for the elderly to think clearly

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Public release date: 15-Dec-2008

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/ncsu-hbp121008.php

Contact: Matt Shipman

matt_shipman@...

North Carolina State University

High blood pressure may make it difficult for the elderly to think clearly

Adding another reason for people to watch their blood pressure, a new

study from North Carolina State University shows that increased blood

pressure in older adults is directly related to decreased cognitive

functioning, particularly among seniors with already high blood

pressure. This means that stressful situations may make it more

difficult for some seniors to think clearly.

Dr. Allaire, an assistant professor of psychology at NC State who

co-authored the study, explains that study subjects whose average

systolic blood pressure was 130 or higher saw a significant decrease in

cognitive function when their blood pressure spiked. However, Allaire

notes, study subjects whose average blood pressure was low or normal saw

no change in their cognitive functioning – even when their blood

pressure shot up.

Specifically, Allaire says, the study shows a link between blood

pressure spikes in seniors with high blood pressure and a decrease in

their inductive reasoning. " Inductive reasoning is important, " Allaire

says, " because it is essentially the ability to work flexibly with

unfamiliar information and find solutions. "

Allaire says the findings may indicate that mental stress is partially

responsible for the increase in blood pressure – and the corresponding

breakdown in cognitive functioning. However, Allaire notes that normal

fluctuations in blood pressure likely play a role as well.

###

The study, which is published in the current issue of Journal of

Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, examined blood pressure and

cognitive functioning test data collected from a cohort of adults aged

60-87 twice daily for 60 days. The lead author is Alyssa A. Gamaldo, a

Ph.D. candidate in psychology at NC State. A second co-author is

R. Weatherbee, who is also a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at NC State.

Note to editors: The study abstract follows.

" Exploring the Within-Person Coupling of Blood Pressure and Cognition in

the Elderly "

Authors: Alyssa A. Gamaldo, R. Weatherbee, Dr. C. Allaire,

North Carolina State University

Published: December 15, 2008, in Journal of Gerontology: Psychological

Sciences

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between within-person

blood pressure and cognitive functioning. Analysis was conducted on 36

community-dwelling elderly (age range = 60 -87). Participants measured

their blood pressure and completed cognitive tasks (i.e. Rey Auditory

Verbal Learning Task (AVLT), Letter Series, and Number Comparison) twice

a day over 60 consecutive days. A significant interaction for

within-person blood pressure and average blood pressure was observed for

the Letter Series test. Individuals with high blood pressure tended to

perform poorly, particularly on occasions when their blood pressure was

above their average blood pressure level. These results demonstrate that

the relationship between blood pressure and cognition at the

between-person level and the relationship within each individual should

be further explored simultaneously.

--

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