What are the effects of high blood pressure on the brain? An international research that has seen the collaboration of the IRCCS Neuromed of Pozzilli with the Universities of Edinburgh and Krakow has tried to answer this question. The results were published in the scientific journal European Heart Journalcompiled by the experts of the European Society of Cardiology.
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Hypertension among the most common risk factors in our country
In Italy alone 15 million people suffer from hypertension and another 5 million are borderline, that is, they have values very close to being defined as hypertensive. Studies generally focus on its effects on the cardiovascular system. We know for sure that high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke.
Effects of high blood pressure on the brain: the international study
The researchers analyzed 33,000 MRIs of as many people. In this way, the experts were able to identify the parts of the brain most affected by the effects of high blood pressure. Research has thus made it possible to understand that this condition increases the risk of a worsening of our cognitive faculties. Already previous studies had highlighted the increased likelihood of developing a form of dementia with high blood pressure. However, no one had indicated which areas are most affected.
Effects of high blood pressure on the brain: which areas are mainly affected?
The scientists took the information from the Biobank of Great Britain. It is an important database that collects the data of thousands of British citizens, which collects news concerning their health. Researchers have discovered that some genetic mutations can influence the structure and function of more than three thousand areas of the brain. The areas affected by hypertension are essentially nine. These are areas that have the task of learning, making decisions, managing emotions and planning the daily routine.
The difference between the effects of maximum and minimum
There are different consequences depending on whether we are talking about systolic blood pressure, the maximum to be clear, or the diastolic blood pressure, which we commonly call the minimum. The high maximal seems not to over-involve these areas of the brain and therefore would not have a significant impact on cognitive decline. Instead, it is the high minimum that represents a real problem.
The discovery thus explains how important it is to manage high blood pressure, especially starting from middle age. Studying the genes and proteins in these brain structures could help us understand how high blood pressure affects the brain and causes cognitive problems.
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