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hypertension
Our investigation of brain structural changes as a result of surgically induced systolic hypertension is an extension of our studies of normal aging. This project is being conducted in collaboration with the Laboratory for Cognitive Neurobiology (Douglas L. Rosene, Ph.D. and Mark B. Moss, Ph.D.) at Boston Univeristy School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Here at the Center for Neurological Imaging, we apply clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging protocols and post-imaging processing techniques to the rhesus monkeys in order toexplore the following questions:
- What are the overall effects of chronic systolic hypertension on brain structures of the rhesus monkey, as seen in MR images?
- How are these brain structural changes related to cognitive performance?
- What brain structural changes distinguish chronic hypertension from normal aging; what brain structural changes are similar?
- What is the effect of advancing age with chronic hypertension on brain structures?
- What are the similarities and differences observed between the clinical cases and the animal model for chronic hypertension?
This study utilizes several cohorts: young controls (5-10 years) young hypertensives, middle-aged controls (11-20 years) and middle-aged hypertensives.
Why apply a clinical method to an animal model?
Briefly, using the rhesus monkey as the subject for our investigation of chronic hypertension provides the opportunity to control for confounding health risks not directly related to hypertension. The ratio of aging between the rhesus monkey and the human is approximately 3:1, providing the opportunity to monitor animals in a longitudinal experimental design. Finally, the rhesus monkey can perform certain cognitive tasks that are similar to tests used in clinical psychological assessment.