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The age-dependent relation of blood pressure to cognitive function and dementia
Qiu C, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L.. The Lancet. Neurology, 2005-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The relation of blood pressure with cognitive function and dementia has, in recent years, received much attention from epidemiological research. Some cross-sectional studies have shown an inverse association between blood pressure and the prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas longitudinal studies yield mixed results that largely depend on the age at which blood pressure is measured and the time interval between blood pressure and outcome assessments. Some studies suggest that midlife high blood pressure is a risk factor for late-life cognitive impairment and dementia, and that low diastolic pressure and very high systolic pressure in older adults may be associated with subsequent development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Observational studies and randomised clinical trials provide limited evidence for a protective effect of antihypertensive therapy against dementia and stroke-related cognitive decline. Atherosclerosis resulting from long-standing hypertension, and cerebral hypoperfusion secondary to severe atherosclerosis and to low blood pressure may be major biological pathways linking both high blood pressure in midlife and low blood pressure in late-life to cognitive decline and dementia.
Key findings
- Some cross-sectional studies have shown an inverse association between blood pressure and the prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas longitudinal studies yield mixed results that largely depend on the age at which blood pressure is measured and the time interval between blood pressure and outcome assessments.
- Some studies suggest that midlife high blood pressure is a risk factor for late-life cognitive impairment and dementia, and that low diastolic pressure and very high systolic pressure in older adults may be associated with subsequent development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
This 2005 review found that the link between blood pressure and dementia depends on when blood pressure is measured: some studies suggest high blood pressure in midlife is a risk factor for late-life cognitive impairment and dementia, while in older adults low diastolic and very high systolic pressure "may be associated" with later dementia. Snapshot (cross-sectional) studies linking lower blood pressure with more dementia do not show cause and effect, and the review found only "limited evidence" that blood-pressure medication protects against dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Lancet Neurology: journal h-index 457 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2005 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,141 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 49.6 citations a year over 23 year(s) since 2005 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 57 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 82 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Laura Fratiglioni: h-index 133 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Karolinska Institutet: institution h-index 1,477 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16033691) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Qiu, C., Winblad, B., & Fratiglioni, L. (2005). The age-dependent relation of blood pressure to cognitive function and dementia. The Lancet. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(05)70141-1
Vancouver
Qiu C, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. The age-dependent relation of blood pressure to cognitive function and dementia. The Lancet. Neurology. 2005. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(05)70141-1. PMID: 16033691.
BibTeX
@article{qiu2005-16033691,
author = {Qiu, C. and Winblad, B. and Fratiglioni, L.},
title = {{The age-dependent relation of blood pressure to cognitive function and dementia}},
journal = {The Lancet. Neurology},
year = {2005},
doi = {10.1016/s1474-4422(05)70141-1},
pmid = {16033691},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(05)70141-1}
}
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