The relationship between long-term blood pressure variability and cortical thickness in older adults

Abstract

High blood pressure variability (BPV) is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, but its association with cortical thickness is not well understood. Here we use a topographical approach, to assess links between long-term BPV and cortical thickness in 478 (54% men at baseline) community dwelling older adults (70–88 years) from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly NEURO sub-study. BPV was measured as average real variability, based on annual visits across three years. Higher diastolic BPV was significantly associated with reduced cortical thickness in multiple areas, including temporal (banks of the superior temporal sulcus), parietal (supramarginal gyrus, post-central gyrus..