FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN GENERAL-PRACTICE

In the preparatory phase of a randomised controlled trial data were co llected to assess the magnitude of changes on cognitive functions in 1 628 volunteers (age range 45-75 years) that were recruited from genera l practitioners' patient population. Subjects were administered a shor t neuropsychological battery of tests including three paper-and-pencil tests, which assessed immediate recall, delayed memory. and attention . Being on antihypertensive medication was associated with low results for all three tests in every age -roup, and in all strata according t o blood pressure levels. Psychotropic drug- use was correlated with lo w results for all three tests. Differences between psychotropic drug u sers and nonusers increased with age. Antihypertensive treatment and p sychotropic drug use seem to be important to consider in longitudinal studies of cognitive decline in aging.