Heart disease affects the brains of men earlier than women

(HealthDay News) — men with cardiac risk factors, usually lose brain health faster than women with similar heart risks, new study finds.

These men collide deterioration of the brain from 50 yearswhereas women are more susceptible to 60 years oldresearchers report in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

“These results suggest that reduce cardiovascular risk This is an important therapeutic target in Prevention of Alzheimer’s diseaseand indicate that this problem needs to be addressed ten years earlier in men than in women,” concluded the research team, led by lead researcher Paul Edison, professor of neurobiology at Imperial College London.

risk factors Heart diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension and smoking have previously been associated with a higher risk dementiathe researchers noted in accompanying notes.

But it’s unclear when these heart health factors begin to influence brain health or whether there are any differences between men and women, the researchers note.

For the study, scientists analyzed data from almost 34,500 participants in this UK Biobankan ongoing large-scale research project.

scanning images helped track changes in the participants’ brains over time, and the researchers calculated them risk of cardiovascular disease using your registered health data.

The results showed that cardiovascular risk factors, obesity and high levels of abdominal fat cause gradual loss of brain volume for several decades in both men and women.

However men

have become more susceptible to these harmful effects among 55 and 74 years oldwhile women were more susceptible among 65 and 74 years old.

This risk to brain health occurred regardless of whether people were carriers APOE4 genewhich increases the likelihood of a person developing the disease Alzheimer’s disease.

The brain regions are the most vulnerable there was a risk to heart health temporal lobesthe researchers noted. These regions participate in memory and processing of hearing, vision and emotions, and suffer in the early stages of dementia.

“The detrimental impact of cardiovascular risk was widespread…highlighting how cardiovascular risk can influence various cognitive functions– said the researchers.

Overall, these results indicate that eliminate risks to heart health By controlling blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, exercise and quitting smoking can help. maintain brain health person.

Besides, men Looks like there’s more at stake than womenthe researchers noted.

“Cardiovascular risk factors. modifiableincluding obesity, deserve special attention

in the treatment/prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease“- the researchers wrote. “This highlights the importance of aggressively targeting cardiovascular risk factors.” up to 55 years old to prevent neurodegeneration and illness Alzheimer’s diseasein addition to the benefits of preventing other cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) and iron“

Additional information

The American Heart Association has more information on the effects of heart disease on the brain.

SOURCE: BMJ Group, press release, November 26, 2024.

*Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporters © 2024 The New York Times.