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Neuropsychological correlates of hypertension: review and methodologic considerations
S R Waldstein1, S B Manuck, C M Ryan
1Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260.
Insights
Essential hypertension negatively impacts cognitive functions like memory and attention. This review examines how high blood pressure affects neuropsychological test results and discusses potential underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Psychology
Background:
- Essential hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition with widespread health implications.
- Hypertension's effects extend beyond cardiovascular health, potentially impacting cognitive function.
- Understanding these cognitive impacts is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of essential hypertension on neuropsychological test performance.
- To review existing cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on hypertension and cognition.
- To explore factors moderating the relationship between hypertension and cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies examining neuropsychological correlates of hypertension.
- Analysis of performance differences between hypertensive and normotensive individuals.
- Examination of moderating variables like age, education, and medication.
Main Results:
- Hypertensives generally exhibit poorer performance on tests of memory, attention, and abstract reasoning compared to normotensives.
- Less consistent deficits are observed in perception, constructional ability, mental flexibility, and psychomotor speed.
- Age, education, and medication usage can influence the observed neuropsychological differences.
Conclusions:
- Essential hypertension is associated with measurable deficits in specific cognitive domains.
- Further research into the physiological and psychological mechanisms is warranted.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering cognitive health in managing hypertension.
Abstract:
Essential hypertension is a chronic disorder having many potential physical and behavioral sequelae. This article evaluates the impact of hypertension on neuropsychological test performance. First, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that examine the neuropsychological correlates of hypertension are reviewed. In general, hypertensives are found to perform more poorly than normotensives, particularly on tests of memory, attention, and abstract reasoning, and less consistently on tests of perception, constructional ability, mental flexibility, and psychomotor speed. Next, the influence of variables that may moderate relationships between hypertension and neuropsychological performance--such as age, education, and medication usage--are examined. Finally, potential mechanisms, both physiological and psychological, underlying associations between hypertension and neuropsychological performance are discussed.