Additionally, previous studies using UK Biobank have focused on relationships between either brain structures and/or cognition using single hypertensive phenotypes such as BP or self-reported information and lack detailed characterization of hypertensive status using information from BP, self-report, and BP lowering medications. However, some of these studies have relatively small sample sizes ( nвЂЉ<вЂЉ1000) with different age distributions which may explain conflicting or null findings between hypertension with brain structure and cognition. There is also evidence to suggest that brain structures mediate the relationship between cognition and BP. Furthermore, hypertension has been associated with poorer cognition function such as memory, reaction time, reasoning, and executive function. The literature has highlighted that hypertension is related to smaller volumes of brain tissue, such as white matter, grey matter specific regions such as the hippocampus, as well other brain areas in extensive neuroimaging analysis. Hypertension or high blood pressure (BP) has been linked to brain and cognitive health through studies focusing on brain imaging and/or cognitive tests. Furthermore, the lack of suitable disease modifying drug treatments for dementia has increased the emphasis on characterizing the roles of modifiable risk factors such as hypertension for dementia prevention strategies. The high prevalence of hypertension and its link with dementia results is a significant public health issue.

It has been estimated that up to 31.1%of the worldвЂ™s adult population (1.13вЂ“1.39 billon people) has hypertension and 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with the prevalence of both of these diseases likely to rise due to aging populations. Hypertension is a well-established midlife risk factor for future cognitive impairment and the different types of dementia such as AlzheimerвЂ™s disease and vascular dementia.

Volumetrix test brain volume