Brain atrophy and white matter hyperintensity change in older adults and relationship to blood pressure. Brain atrophy, WMH change and blood pressure.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and dementia and is associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and reduced brain volumes. We measured the increase in WMH volume, and rate of cerebral atrophy over two years, in hypertensive subjects participating in the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE), receiving candesartan or placebo, and normotensive controls. We recruited 163 subjects who had MRI (FLAIR and volumetric T1) at 2 and 4 years after baseline assessment.