A new study challenges previous assumptions about how cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes affect brain health in older adults. The research, featured in *Alzheimer’s & Dementia*, found that these conditions may not increase the risk of brain damage as previously thought. Instead, they appear to have a more complex relationship with age-related vascular changes.
The study analyzed data from 267 participants in the National Institute on Aging’s 90+ Study, examining factors like blood pressure, diabetes, and medication use. Key findings revealed that traditional risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes were not linked to increased brain damage in older adults. Interestingly, certain medications showed potential protective effects: diuretics reduced atherosclerosis risks, while beta blockers and vasodilators associated with lower odds of cerebral amyloid angiopathy—a type of brain protein buildup.
The researchers emphasize that these findings challenge existing notions about vascular health in the elderly population and highlight the need for further research to understand how these factors might influence cognitive decline or dementia risk under specific conditions. This could inform more personalized approaches to managing cardiovascular health and improving brain outcomes in older adults.
Additional researchers from UC Irvine, Stanford University, Temple University’s College of Public Health, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign contributed to this work, supported by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Consortium.
This study underscores the complexity of age-related health changes and the potential for personalized interventions in aging populations.
Source: https://www.futurity.org/blood-pressure-diabetes-dementia-brain-aging-damage-3264942-2