Maintaining stable blood pressure throughout your life has been linked with preserving cognitive functions. The healthy practice is said to help prevent the apparition of dementia. This is according to a new study from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders in the US.
Blood pressure and cognitive functions
Study researchers used MRIs to scan several hundred participants that were suffering from high blood pressure. While performing scans of their brains, researchers split the participants into two sections. Those that had the intensive treatment and those that had regular treatment for high blood pressure.
It was discovered that the participants that had intensive treatment had a lower amount of white matter degradation in the brain. Researchers have mentioned that trauma at the white matter level in the brain is indicative of serious changes.
Research that had been conducted before this study resulted in linking high blood pressure with white matter degradation. High blood pressure had also been linked with mental decline and dementia that are influenced by the state of the white matter in the brain.
The patients that were under intensive treatment for having high blood pressure showed another difference. Their brains suffered a slight increase in brain volume loss. These results were seen more in male patients. Researchers have said that think has not shown any evidence for negatively affecting brain functions.
Health Institute Trials
Study participants have also taken part in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial or SPRINT, conducted by the US National Institutes of Health. The event saw around 9000 people participate. The participants were aged 50 or above.
In the trial, standard blood pressure treatment reduced systolic blood pressure to under 140 mm Hg. The intensive treatment reduced the number to under 120 mm Hg. It has been determined that lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of heart failure and disease. As well as lowering the risk of losing one’s cognitive functions after the age of 50.