Shedding Light on the Effects of Blood Pressure on Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk by Way of Neurobiological Evidence

Abstract

Midlife cerebrovascular risk factors increase risk of late life cognitive impairment and dementia, while their presence in patients with dementia may lead to cognitive improvement or stabilization in late life. Defining the best measure of blood pressure (BP) to be associated with cognitive decline remains debatable, also due to possible bidirectionality. BP variability, pulse pressure, systolic and diastolic BP have been associated with cognitive status, dementia risk and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. Proper BP control notwithstanding, BP variability increases risk for pathophysiological change in the Alzheimer's disease continuum, implying the need for selection of anti-hypertensive drugs with neurobiological evidence of benefits.

Keywords: APOE; Alzheimer’s disease; amyloidosis; biomarkers; dementia; hypertension; renin-angiotensin system; tau proteins.