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Abstract
Hypertension is a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease and is associated with cognitive decline. The extent to which this affects neurocognition in non-elderly adults remains unclear. Saccade tasks are a reliable measure of neurocognition. This study evaluated pro and antisaccade performance in early-middle-aged adults with low, medium, and high mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) by comparing models of speed accuracy and saccadic main sequences. A canonical correlation analysis compared associations between saccade performance/lifestyle factors and blood pressure. Results found no significant group differences in any of the models. Direct comparisons revealed slower reaction times for participants in the high MAP group compared to the low group and no differences in accuracy across groups. This suggests that the high blood pressure group took longer to reach the same level of performance as the healthy individuals. CCA results showed that BMI and saccade performance were most associated with MAP. Collectively, these results may highlight an association between neurocognition and blood pressure in adults.