A new study looked atheart healthand cognitive function in more than 29,000 people across the UK. The people with healthy hearts and function performed significantly better on the cognitive tests than those with weaker hearts. This connection was independent of factors such as lifestyle, metabolism or demographics.
People with healthy hearts perform better on cognitive tests
The authors are from the University of São Paulo in Brazil and some UK universities. The mean age of the participants was 63 years. In general, they were healthier and wealthier than the national average. Researchers assessed heart health using cardiac MRI scans and cognitive function through fluid intelligence tests, which measure an individual's ability to solve problems using logic and reasoning. The response time was also tested.
A connection has been found between better cognitive performance and measures of a healthy heart. Conversely, impaired cognitive function was associated with lower cardiac output. The clear connection between heart and brain health remained even after adjustment for factors such as lifestyle, metabolism or demographics.
Doctors often encounter patients who suffer from both heart disease and dementia. The link between cardiovascular disease and dementia was known, but its mechanism was not well understood. The common vascular risk factors (smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol) cannot explain this association.
US geriatrician Scott Kaiser said this was no surprise. The large scope of the study allowed many biomarkers of heart function and brain function to be compared, thus expanding the picture.
Researchers wondered whether impaired health of both the heart and brain could be the result of multisystem aging. Or is there an alternative disease mechanism? The scientists pointed to a previous study. She had shown that protein fragments called beta-amyloids, which are deposited abnormally in the brain in Alzheimer's, also appear in the muscle tissue of the heart. Further investigations at the cellular level are necessary to understand what is actually going on.
Dr. Raisi-Estabragh, leader of the study, plans to further explore the connection between heart health and brain function. “We want to better examine the connections between different organ systems and understand how they are changed by environmental, behavioral and health factors,” she says.
