Earlier Hypertension Correlates with Smaller Later Brain Volume and Raised Risk of Dementia

The increased blood pressure of hypertension causes structural damage to delicate tissues throughout the body, particularly in the brain. Beyond the matter of an increased pace of rupture of capillaries, killing tiny volumes of brain tissue, the blood-brain barrier is disrupted by pressure damage, allowing unwanted molecules and cells into the brain to provoke chronic inflammation and disruption of function. Blood pressure is so influential on health that lowering blood pressure via antihypertensive medication, an approach that does not in any way address the underlying causes of the problem, produces a reduction in mortality that is in the same ballpark as that resulting from exercise programs. Individuals who are diagnosed with high blood pressure at ages 35-44 had smaller brain size and were more likely to develop dementia compared to people who had normal blood pressure, according to new research. Hypertension is very common in middle-aged people (45-64 years), and early onset high blood pressure is becoming more common. Although the association among hypertension, brain health, and dementia in later life has been well-established, it was unknown how age at onset of hypertension may affect this association. If this is proven, it would provide some important evidence to suggest earlier intervention to delay the onset of hypertension, which may, in turn, be beneficial in preventing dementia. The researchers analyzed data from participants in the UK Biobank, ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs