High blood pressure may not harm brains of 90-year-olds, study finds

A study led by the University of California, Irvine found that cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which are known to contribute to damage to the brain’s blood vessels in younger populations, are not associated with an increased risk of such damage in individuals 90 and older.

The work, published online today in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, suggests that the relationship between blood pressure, vascular health and brain aging is more complex than previously thought.

“We have known for decades that factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes can damage blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. However, our research has shown that these patterns may change as people age,” she said. corresponding researcher. author Dr. Ravi Rajmohan, clinical instructor of neurology at UC Irvine.

Even more intriguing, the use of antihypertensive medications in this 90-something year old was associated with a lower risk of specific types of brain damage.”

Dr. Ravi Rajmohan, Clinical Instructor, Neurology, University of California – Irvine

Team members analyzed the relationship between cardiovascular changes in the brain and self-reported vascular risk factors or use of heart-related medications by examining data from 267 participants in the National Institute on Aging’s 90+ Study, one of the largest and most comprehensive studies. research projects on the oldest-old population. They applied statistical models that took into account age, gender and education and found that the presence of brain changes was not linked to traditional risk factors such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Furthermore, they found that certain drugs showed potential proactive effects. Diuretics were associated with a lower risk of atherosclerosis, commonly called “artery hardening,” and beta blockers and vasodilators were associated with a reduced risk of cerebral amyloid angiopathy, the buildup of a type of protein in the brain’s blood vessels.

“Our findings challenge the idea that traditional vascular risk factors are always detrimental to brain health in people over 90,” said Rajmohan. “Our findings may reflect the effectiveness of treatment for these conditions, or they may be influenced by survival bias, as individuals with untreated or serious risk factors may not live into their 90s. Further research is needed to investigate whether blood pressure-lowering medications can help.” The risk of cerebral blood vessel damage and dementia under specific circumstances can be immediately reduced. Such knowledge could lead to more personalized advice for managing blood pressure and improving brain health outcomes.”

Team members also included Dr. Claudia Kawas, professor of neurology and neurobiology and behavior; Maria Corrada, professor of neurology; Annlia Paganini Hill, project scientist in neurology; and biochemistry student Joey Wong – all from UC Irvine – as well as Dr. Thomas Montine, chair of pathology at Stanford University; Zeinah Al-Darsani, graduate student in epidemiology and biostatistics at Temple University’s College of Public Health; and Chu-Ching Ho, a graduate student in computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging under grant AG021055 and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Consortium under grant P30AGO66519.