Cerebrovascular Variants and the Role of the Selfish Brain in Young-Onset Hypertension.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Variants in the posterior anatomy of the cerebral circulation are associated with hypertension and lower cerebral blood flow in midlife (age ≈55 years); however, whether these variants are a result of aging or long-term exposure to high blood pressure is unclear. Additionally, the role these variants play in early onset of hypertension (<40 years) and poor cerebral perfusion in this population is unknown.

Methods

We retrospectively examined whether specific cerebrovascular variants (vertebral artery hypoplasia and absent/hypoplastic posterior communicating arteries (an incomplete posterior circle of Willis) measured via magnetic resonance angiography) were associated with a diagnosis of hypertension in 220 young adults (<40 years; n=164 primary hypertensive [mean

SUBMITTER: Manghat NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9093235 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature