Dr. James Galvin, a professor of neurology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine in Florida, said that adults under the age of 35 had the greatest reduction in brain volume compared to adults of their age without high blood pressure. can come with adverse health effects. He was not involved in the study.
“The smaller brain volume in younger individuals as a result of their high blood pressure may put them at a higher risk of dementia as they age,” he said.
Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 11,399 people aged 55 and younger who had been diagnosed with hypertension as well as 11,399 people without hypertension. The participants’ information came from the UK Biobank, a database of anonymized health information from nearly half a million people. The study authors followed up with the participants after an average of 11.9 years to see if they had indeed been diagnosed with dementia.
High blood pressure is common in adults aged 45 to 64 and is associated with brain health and dementia later in life, but little is known about how the age at which hypertension is diagnosed affects these associations. Senior study author Dr. Mingguang He, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, said in a statement.
“If this is proven, it would provide some anecdotal evidence to suggest earlier interventions to delay the onset of hypertension, which, in turn, may be beneficial in preventing dementia,” he said.
The reduced brain volume means there is a loss of neurons and their connections with each other, said Donna Arnett, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health in Lexington, who was not involved in the study.
Galvin said larger brain volume is associated with better cognitive function, while loss of brain volume is associated with the development of dementia. Over time high blood pressure affects blood flow to the brain and can potentially damage brain structure, he explained. If left untreated, it affects brain function, Galvin said.
Arnett said that over time, young people may be affected more because they face longer periods of hemorrhage on the brain.
Preventing high blood pressure at all ages
Arnett said it’s important to take care of brain health at an early age to prevent high blood pressure, which can lead to adverse health effects such as increased brain size and dementia.
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, Galvin recommends talking to your doctor about taking blood pressure medication.
Galvin said that reducing other risk factors for dementia, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking, also lowers the risk of developing dementia.
This study confirms the importance of regular health check-ups for young people and taking good care of their health in their early years, Finney said.
Tell a medical professional if you notice changes in memory, thinking, or behavior with age, he said.
.