Stress-induced blood pressure reactivity and silent cerebrovascular disease

Background and Purpose-Exaggerated blood pressure ( BP) responses to mental stress, an index of autonomic dysregulation, have been related to enhanced risk for stroke. This study examined cross-sectional relations of stress-induced BP reactivity to silent cerebrovascular disease assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in healthy older adults. Methods-Sixty-seven nondemented, community-dwelling older adults (ages 55 to 81; 75% male) free of major medical, neurological, or psychiatric disease, engaged in: (1) clinical assessment of resting systolic and diastolic BP; (2) assessment of systolic and diastolic BP responses to 3 laboratory-based mental stressors; and ( 3) MRI. MRIs were rated for small silent infarcts (greater than or equal to3 mm), infarct-like lesions (<3 mm), and periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Results-After adjustment for age, gender, resting clinic BP, and fasting glucose levels, higher systolic BP reactivity was associated with an increased number of small silent infarcts (r(2) = 0.14; P = 0.004) and greater severity ratings of periventricular (r(2) = 0.08; P < 0.04) and deep WMH (r(2) = 0.06; P < 0.05). Higher diastolic BP reactivity was similarly associated with an increased number of small silent infarcts (r(2) = 0.08; P < 0.04), and greater severity ratings of periventricular (r(2) = 0.08; P < 0.04) and deep WMH (r(2) = 0.11; P = 0.009). Conclusions-These results indicate that greater stress-induced BP reactivity is associated with enhanced silent cerebrovascular disease on MRI in healthy asymptomatic older adults independent of resting BP levels. Exaggerated stress-induced BP reactivity warrants further examination as a potential biobehavioral risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.