Appeal No. 2003-1745 4
Application No. 09/859,614
and preventing cognitive dysfunctions. See Office action of June 19, 2002, at page 4.
We agree.
Lis is directed to a discussion of the relationship between both vascular dementia,
cognitive impairment and hypertension. Indeed, treating both elements of cognitive
dysfunction and dementia separately required by the claimed subject matter fall within the
scope of the teachings of Lis. In the abstract Lis states that, “[h]ypertension is thought to
be directly associated with vascular dementia and preliminary evidence suggests an
association between blood pressure and impairments in cognitive functioning.” In a
discussion of the risk factors for dementia, Lis reports on the conclusion reached in another
study that, “[h]ypertension is one of the major risk factors for stroke and vascular
dementia . . . .” See page 475, left-hand column. Indeed Lis reports that, “[m]ost
current literature suggest that hypertension and diabetes seem to be directly associated with
vascular dementia . . . .” See page 475, right-hand column. Furthermore, Lis states that,
“hypertensives are more susceptible to cerebral ischemia and possibly stroke even during
small reductions in cerebral perfusion pressure.” See page 476, right-hand column. We
further find that in a discussion of hypertension and cognitive function Lis reports that,
“higher blood pressures were reliable predictors of poor performance on tests of memory
and abstract reasoning . . . .” See page 477, left-hand column. We find that in discussing
the impact of hypertension on both cognitive impairment and vascular dementia Lis states
that, “sustained hypertension is inversely related to cognitive functioning and is thought to
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