Key result
High blood pressure was associated with poorer cognitive performance on the Letter Series test, particularly when levels exceeded an individual's personal average.
Observational (n=36)
Transient increases in blood pressure above an individual's personal average are associated with acute declines in cognitive performance among the elderly.
May prompt attention to intraindividual BP fluctuations in older adults; leaves open whether control improves cognition.
In this study, we examined the relationship between within-person blood pressure and cognitive functioning. We conducted an analysis on 36 community-dwelling elderly individuals (age range = 60-87 years). Participants measured their blood pressure and completed cognitive tasks (i.e., the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task, the Letter Series test, and the Number Comparison test) twice a day over 60 consecutive days. We observed a significant interaction between within-person change in blood pressure and average blood pressure for the Letter Series test. Individuals with high blood pressure tended to perform poorly, particularly on occasions when their blood pressure level was above their personal average. 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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Gamaldo et al. (2008) conducted an observational in Cognitive functioning (n=36). Blood pressure vs. Personal average blood pressure was evaluated on Cognitive functioning (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task, Letter Series test, Number Comparison test). High blood pressure was associated with poorer cognitive performance on the Letter Series test, particularly when levels exceeded an individual's personal average.
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