Evidence for Better Blood Supply to the Hippocampus to Slow Cognitive Decline

As outlined in the research reported here, the variable physiology of the hippocampus allows for an interesting natural experiment to determine the degree to which blood supply is important in the aging of the brain. It is known that capillary density declines with age throughout the body, and this affects the supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues. The brain is a particularly energy hungry organ, and reduced supply produces consequences. It isn't just capillary density that is important in aging, however, but also the general decline in physical fitness and ability of the heart to pump blood uphill to the brain. This lost performance becomes particularly profound in heart failure patients, but is no doubt producing detrimental consequences even when present to a lesser degree. The hippocampus exists twice: once in each brain hemisphere. It is considered the control center of memory. Damage to the hippocampus, such as it occurs in Alzheimer's and other brain diseases, is known to impair memory. But what role does blood supply in particular play? To answer this questions, researchers used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the blood supply to the hippocampus of 47 women and men aged 45 to 89 years. The study participants also underwent a neuropsychological test battery, which assessed, in particular, memory performance, speech comprehension, and the ability to concentrate. "It has been known for some time that the hippocampus is supp...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs