[ad_1]
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People at higher risk for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, are more likely to develop brain changes that can lead to dementia, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
To achieve these results, the researchers looked at data from 9772 adults who had all undergone magnetic resonance imaging at least once and provided information about their medical records and general health.
The study is focused on a link between brain structure and so-called cardiovascular disease factors.
The researchers found that all other risk factors – smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity – were associated with abnormal brain changes in people with dementia, with the exception of high cholesterol.
The higher the risk of vascular disease, the worse the brain health, as evidenced by the decrease in volume and the decrease in the size of the gray matter, "the tissues are located on the surface of the brain and responsible for delivery orders to all organs of the body or what are called nerve signals "and weak white matter The deep parts of the brain and its function transfer nerve signals to the rest of the body. "
"Some elements contribute to brain aging and cognitive functions that we can not alter, unlike our genes," said Simon Cox, head of the study. We can see this as a list of items over which we have some control, or so-called flexible risk factors. , According to the agencies.
"Improving cardiovascular health can bring many other benefits: By improving diet, weight, exercise, blood sugar control and smoking cessation", there are "other" benefits. other strong evidence that these benefits Health of the brain.
The researchers said that heart disease factors seemed to affect brain health in middle age as well as in old age.
[ad_2]
Source link
