Executive Function and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Pediatric Hypertension. (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ostrovskaya, Maria A.; Rojas, Mary; Kupferman, Juan C.; Lande, Marc B.; Paterno, Kara; Brosgol, Yuri; Pavlakis, Steven G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child neurology. Volume 30:Number 5(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 543
• Page End: 546
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: hypertension -- cognition -- transcranial Doppler; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.928
• DOI: 10.1177/0883073813494264
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-0738

Abstract

Primary hypertension is associated with decreased performance on neurocognitive testing and a blunted cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia. Parents of 14 children with hypertension and prehypertension completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions. Children underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and transcranial Doppler with reactivity measurement using time-averaged maximum mean velocity and end-tidal carbon dioxide during hypercapnia-rebreathing test. Comparing the reactivity slope for the patients to historical controls showed a statistically significant difference ( t = –5.19, df = 13, P < .001), with lower slopes. Pearson correlations of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions scores with the reactivity slopes showed a statistically significant inverse relationship with Behavioral Regulation Index ( r = –.60, P = .02), Metacognition Index ( r = –.40, P = .05), and the Global Executive Component ( r = –.53, P = .05). Children with hypertension have decreased executive function, and this correlates to low transcranial Doppler-reactivity slopes, suggesting that the brain is a target organ in hypertensive children.