Elevated blood pressure is associated with advanced brain aging in mid-life: A 30-year follow-up of The CARDIA Study
Christina S. Dintica
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMohamad Habes
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Neuroimage Analytics Laboratory (NAL) and the Biggs Institute Neuroimaging Core (BINC), Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorGuray Erus
National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorEric Vittinghoff
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristos Davatzikos
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorIlya M. Nasrallah
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorLenore J. Launer
National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorStephen Sidney
Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kristine Yaffe
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Correspondence
Kristine Yaffe, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorChristina S. Dintica
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMohamad Habes
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Neuroimage Analytics Laboratory (NAL) and the Biggs Institute Neuroimaging Core (BINC), Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorGuray Erus
National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorEric Vittinghoff
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristos Davatzikos
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorIlya M. Nasrallah
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorLenore J. Launer
National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorStephen Sidney
Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kristine Yaffe
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Correspondence
Kristine Yaffe, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
High blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for late-life brain health; however, the association of elevated BP with brain health in mid-life is unclear.
Methods
We identified 661 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (age 18–30 at baseline) with 30 years of follow-up and brain magnetic resonance imaging at year 30. Cumulative exposure of BP was estimated by time-weighted averages (TWA). Ideal cardiovascular health was defined as systolic BP < 120 mm Hg, diastolic BP < 80 mm Hg. Brain age was calculated using previously validated high dimensional machine learning pattern analyses.
Results
Every 5 mmHg increment in TWA systolic BP was associated with approximately 1-year greater brain age (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50–1.36) Participants with TWA systolic or diastolic BP over the recommended guidelines for ideal cardiovascular health, had on average 3-year greater brain age (95% CI: 1.00–4.67; 95% CI: 1.45–5.13, respectively).
Conclusion
Elevated BP from early to mid adulthood, even below clinical cut-offs, is associated with advanced brain aging in mid-life.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
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