A study found that elevated blood pressure at young and middle age affects brain’s aging process, while ideal blood pressure keeps our brains at least six months younger than our real age.
Various studies are conducted to find relation between blood pressure and brain’s health where they link hypertension to a deteriorated cognitive function in the future. The new study conducted by a team of scientists at the Australian National University (ANU) discovered the exact time when this relation between blood pressure and brain health starts. The scientist also found that ideal blood pressure keeps our brain six months younger, while elevated blood pressure in normal range fastens brain’s aging.
Increasing research on relation between blood pressure and brain is strengthening the link between elevated blood pressure and dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s. With the same topic, some studies have also found that treating high blood pressure can slow down the rate of cognitive deterioration by the use of usual hypertension medications. However, these studies haven’t found links that show the exact stages of life where blood pressure starts affecting brain. To find the answer, the team of scientists at ANU studied 2000 brain scans of 686 healthy subjects in the age group of 44 to 76 years. Then, the team also gathered data of blood pressure of every subject collected over 12 years of period. Using the combined data of brain scans and blood pressure, the scientists determined brain age of the subject that indicates brain health.
A regular blood pressure level is under 120/80 mmHg and the optimal and healthy blood pressure measure is near 110/70. According to the scientists, subjects having blood pressure at the higher end of this healthy range compared to a person with elevated blood pressure of 135/85 also had the risk of fastened aging of brain. The team suggests, paying attention to these readings earlier in life is important, since the effects may start developing even when people are in their 20s.
