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.
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Baby boomer caregivers of people with dementia are at risk for sustained elevation of blood pressure, which is associated with life-threatening diseases affecting the heart, brain, and kidneys.
“Given that dementia caregiving is associated with chronic stress, the caregivers in this study are at risk for sustained elevation of blood pressure, which is associated with a cascade of life-threatening diseases that can affect the heart, brain and kidneys [17].”
From Baby boomer caregiver and dementia caregiving: findings from the National Study of Caregiving (2015) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Pase, M. P., Stough, C., Grima, N. A., Harris, E., Macpherson, H., Scholey, A. B., & Pipingas, A.
- Affiliations
- Swinburne University of Technology (AU)
- Monash University (AU)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-09-06
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2173-2181
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2096169408
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 4.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies
- Keywords
- central blood pressure, cognitive function, pulse pressure amplification, brachial blood pressure, cognitive aging, processing speed, working memory, recognition memory, aortic pressure
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Blood Pressure Determination, Cognition, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Recognition, Psychology, Young Adult, Executive Function, Stroop Test, Arterial Pressure
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