THE EFFECTS OF AGING, ARTERIOSCLEROSIS, AND HYPERTENSION UPON THE CEREBRAL CIRCULATION 1

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Abstract
Cerebral circulatory studies were carried out on 54 individuals using the nitrous oxide technic for the purpose of determining the effects of aging, arteriosclerosis and hypertension upon the cerebral flood flow and metabolism. Aging, arteriosclerosis unaccompanied by hypertension, and hypertension unaccompanied by arteriosclerosis, were not found to reduce significantly the cerebral blood flow and metabolism. The occurrence of hypertension and arteriosclerosis together was found to be accompanied by significant reductions of cerebral blood flow and O2 consumption. This was ascribed to a greater severity of the arteriosclerosis, particularly of the arteriolar variety, in those cases. No greater decreases of cerebral blood flow and O2 consumption were found in patients with clinical cerebrovascular disease when compared to values for similar patients without such manifestations. Hypertension proved to be the one readily definable factor in predicting the occurrence of a reduced cerebral blood flow and O2 consumption in arteriosclerotic individuals.