The purpose of this project is to continue studies which are allowing us to obtain a better understanding of the effects of hypertension on WAIS and neuropsychological test measures with advancing age. Continuation of our ongoing longitudinal studies will allow us to: 1) follow subjects, already tested three times, for an additional five years (Time 4 testing); 2) perform Time 3 testing for subjects tested initially during the 1981-1984 grant period; 3) perform Time 2 testing for subjects tested initially during the 1985-1990 grant period; 4) expand the number of subjects in our overall cross-sectional design. The objective is to characterize age-related changes over time in cognitive functioning as affected by hypertension. We are particularly interested in change over time and levels of performance as predicted by: (1) unmedicated baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels (across the full range and within the normal or untreated range) (2) as a function of diagnostic category; severe; less severe; normotensive. Change over time is analyzed by comparing different mathematical (statistical) models for """"""""individual change."""""""" The question here is whether different dynamic models for characterizing change hold equally well for hypertensive and normotensive individuals and for fluid, speed, memory, and crystallized components of intellect. Recent factor analytic studies of the WAIS indicate that this four-component model reflects the relationship among subtests more accurately than does the traditional Verbal-Performance test model. Subtest composition of the four components is as follows: 1) Fluid (Block Design, Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Object Assembly); 2) Psychomotor Speed (Digit Symbol); 3) Memory or Short-Term Retrieval (Arithmetic, Digit Span); and 4) Crystallized (Information, Comprehension, Similarities, Vocabulary). Analyses employing the Verbal-Performance model will also be conducted for purposes of comparability with existing literature. The study is guided by a hypothetical """"""""pathophysiology construct"""""""" in which vascular and metabolic effects are seen as producing accelerated change in cognitive functioning over time. Our data (and the data of others) suggest that hypertension unmedicated blood pressures at baseline are the best markers of severity.
| Crichton, Georgina E; Elias, Merrill F; Alkerwi, Ala'a (2016) Chocolate intake is associated with better cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Appetite 100:126-32 |
| Crichton, Georgina E; Elias, Merrrill F; Dore, Gregory A et al. (2012) Relations between dairy food intake and arterial stiffness: pulse wave velocity and pulse pressure. Hypertension 59:1044-51 |
| Crichton, G E; Elias, M F; Dore, G A et al. (2012) Relation between dairy food intake and cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Int Dairy J 22:15-23 |
| Elias, Merrill F; Dore, Gregory A; Goodell, Amanda L et al. (2011) Normative data for elderly adults: the Maine-Syracuse study. Exp Aging Res 37:142-78 |
| Elias, Merrill F; Dore, Gregory A; Davey, Adam et al. (2010) From blood pressure to physical disability: the role of cognition. Hypertension 55:1360-5 |
| Dore, G A; Elias, M F; Robbins, M A et al. (2009) Presence of the APOE epsilon4 allele modifies the relationship between type 2 diabetes and cognitive performance: the Maine-Syracuse Study. Diabetologia 52:2551-60 |
| Elias, Merrill F; Elias, Penelope K; Seliger, Stephen L et al. (2009) Chronic kidney disease, creatinine and cognitive functioning. Nephrol Dial Transplant 24:2446-52 |
| Elias, Merrill F; Robbins, Michael A; Budge, Marc M et al. (2009) Arterial pulse wave velocity and cognition with advancing age. Hypertension 53:668-73 |
| Dore, Gregory A; Elias, Merrill F; Robbins, Michael A et al. (2008) Relation between central adiposity and cognitive function in the Maine-Syracuse Study: attenuation by physical activity. Ann Behav Med 35:341-50 |
| Elias, Merrill F; Robbins, Michael A; Budge, Marc M et al. (2008) Homocysteine and cognitive performance: modification by the ApoE genotype. Neurosci Lett 430:64-9 |
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