High Blood Pressure Linked to Lower Brain Health in Later Life
Researchers at a major university have found a link between high blood pressure and poorer brain health years later, with stronger signals in men. The study appears in a reputable medical journal for open access work.
In the investigation, scientists compared brain images from adults in their 30s who had high blood pressure with those who had normal readings. The results showed that the group with high blood pressure had less gray matter in the frontal lobe and parietal cortex. These brain regions play crucial roles in attention, memory, decision making, sensory processing, and spatial awareness. White matter integrity also declined in the high blood pressure group, a change associated with a higher risk of dementia later in life.
Even modest rises in blood pressure were linked to reductions in brain volume in specific areas. For instance, a 5 mm Hg increase in systolic pressure correlated with smaller volume in the temporal cortex, a region involved in processing sounds and language comprehension.
Data came from two long-term aging studies, with a combined sample of 427 participants. Health assessments occurred between 1964 and 1985, and magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted in 2017 and again in 2022.
Overall, the findings indicate that elevated blood pressure at relatively young ages, roughly between 30 and 40, may contribute to poorer brain health in later life. This underscores the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure early and consistently to support long-term cognitive function. [Attribution: population aging studies with MRI data and health assessments, as reported in the cited research]