Cardiovascular regulation and dementia

A recent study relates cardioregulatory capacity with cognitive capacity.

A research team from the University of Granada (UGR) in Spain has linked the worsening of cardiovascular regulation, typical of aging people, with the onset of dementia. This regulation is based on all the factors that allow the body to supply a correct blood flow to the body’s organs, including the brain.

Thanks to a series of cognitive tests, researchers have discovered that people with the worst results in these cognitive tests also have difficulties maintaining correct cardiovascular regulation, “which could be the prelude to future dementia,” explains Juan José Ramos Rodríguez. , professor at the Department of Physiology of the UGR at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Ceuta and principal investigator of this study, in which Himan Mohamed Mohamed, a Nursing Degree student, is also working.

The work, in line with previous studies, has determined that orthostatic hypotension occurs in older people, that is, when there is a sudden change in posture, for example when getting up, there is no correct blood supply to the brain, which can cause small dizziness and loss of consciousness that are more common as aging progresses.

“It seems that this cerebral hypotension would function as a risk factor for later suffering from dementia”, details Juan José Ramos.

The new study relates cardioregulatory capacity with cognitive capacity. (Photo: UGR)

Behind the worsening of cardiovascular regulation there may be factors such as obesity or some metabolic diseases.

In the future, the UGR team will study the possible relationship between the deterioration of cardiovascular regulation in people and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. (Source: UGR)