Hypertension, Heart Rate Reserve, and Cognitive Impairment: Exploring Relationships, Implications, and Measurement Techniques

The chapter offers an in-depth summary of the connection between hypertension, heart rate reserve (HRR), and the risk of non-amnestic cognitive impairment. It starts by addressing the prevalence of hypertension and dementia among older adults. It then delves into the association between hypertension and cognitive impairment and how cognitive impairment increases the risk of falls in this population. The review also emphasizes functional impairments related to dual tasking and presents theories explaining the costs of dual task performance. Additionally, the chapter explores the relationship between executive function and the prefrontal cortex, along with the connection between HRR and hypertension. It provides insight into the biological mechanisms underlying HRR. The chapter further discusses various findings on prefrontal cortex activation during dual task testing and their implications. Finally, it outlines the benefits of measuring HRR in at-risk individuals and highlights the advantages of using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) over other neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).