Effects of Adult Age and Blood Pressure on Executive Function and Speed of Processing

Abstract

Previous research has established that the effects of chronically increased blood pressure (BP) on cognition interact with adult age, but the relevant cognitive processes are not well defined. In this cross-sectional study, using a sample matched for age, years of education, and sex, 134 individuals with either normal BP (n = 71) or chronically high BP (n = 63) were categorized into younger (19–39 years), middle-aged (41–58 years), and older (60–79 years) groups. Using a between-subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA), covarying for race and years of education, composite measures of executive function and perceptual speed both exhibited age-related decline. The executive function measure, however, was associated with a differential decline in high BP older adults. This result held even when the executive function scores were covaried for speed, demonstrating an independent, age-related effect of higher BP on executive function.

This research was supported by NIH grants R37 AG002163, R01 AG011622, T32 AG00029, and UL1 RR024128. The authors are grateful for assistance from Susanne Harris, James Blumenthal, Jennifer Peterson, Steven Taxman, and Robert Waugh.

Notes

Note. NBP = normal blood pressure; HBP = high blood pressure; younger n = 47 (26 NBP, 21 HBP); middle-aged n = 44 (23 NBP, 21 HBP); older n = 43 (22 NBP, 21 HBP); units for age and education are years; Vocabulary = raw score on the subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS-R; Wechsler, 1981); Digit Symbol = mean RT on a computerized digit-symbol coding test (Salthouse, 1992); Systolic BP = systolic blood pressure in mm Hg; Diastolic BP = diastolic BP in mm Hg.

Note. Values in parentheses are mean square errors. BP = blood pressure.

∗p < .05; ∗∗p < .01.

Barbara Bucur is currently affiliated with the Department of Psychology at University of Missouri–St. Louis.