A study by scientists from the University of South Australia found that fluctuations in blood pressure can increase the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease in older people. The results were: published on ScienceDirect.
70 healthy elderly people, aged 60-80, without dementia, participated in the experiment. The scientists collected information about changes in the subjects’ blood pressure and assessed the stiffness of the arteries in the brain using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, a type of ultrasound examination. Participants then took a cognitive ability test.
Subjects who experienced short-term changes in blood pressure (BP) lasting hours or days performed worse on the test. Decrease in cognitive abilities (memory, mental performance and spatial orientation skills) is characteristic of dementia.
Some participants showed significant increases in systolic blood pressure (the top number on a blood pressure monitor that shows the pressure in the arteries as the heart beats). Scientists noted that this could be a sign of arterial stiffness, the gradual process of change that occurs in the artery wall as we age. The inability of the arteries to carry blood can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Careful monitoring of blood pressure could be a tool for diagnosing dementia and cardiovascular diseases at an early stage, the study authors added.
Previously AppearedIt is stated that a change in gait may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.