Does the Altered Blood Flow of Atrial Fibrillation Contribute to Dementia?

Given what we know of the relationship between hypertension and dementia, in which increased blood pressure damages the fragile tissues of the brain, causing loss of function over time, it is reasonable to consider that other disruptions of blood flow could have a similar relationship with the onset of dementia in later life. Researchers here investigate the association between atrial fibrillation and dementia, in search of specific disruptions in blood flow and brain tissue that could explain this relationship in terms of greater structural damage to the brain. Researchers enrolled 246 patients in the study: 198 with atrial fibrillation and 48 without atrial fibrillation. They then obtained plasma samples and tested them for the circulating levels of four biomarkers associated with brain injury: glial specific GFAP and S100b; GDF15, a stress response marker; and neuron-specific tau protein. They found that levels of three of those biomarkers - tau, GDF15, and GFAP - were significantly higher in patients with atrial fibrillation. "We think patients with atrial fibrillation experience chronic, subclinical cerebral injuries. It becomes absolutely critical to identify the early markers of this injury and help these patients who are at higher risk of having subsequent neurodegenerative problems, such as cognitive decline and dementia." Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other h...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs