MELBOURNE, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have found that frequent fluctuations in blood pressure could affect cognitive health and contribute to brain changes associated with dementia risk.
The study found that greater variability in blood pressure over a 24-hour period was associated with poorer cognition, including planning, problem solving and memory, said a recent statement from Australia's Monash University.
Higher average blood pressure levels were also linked to greater evidence of vascular brain injury, according to the research published in the journal Neurology.
"Even a modest increase in blood pressure variability was linked to lower performance on cognitive tests, equivalent to roughly seven years of additional ageing," said study first author Madeline Gibson, a Monash PhD candidate in clinical neuropsychology.
"These findings add to growing evidence that the heart and brain are closely linked," Gibson said, adding that midlife is a key window to protect brain health and reduce later cognitive decline.
The findings suggest that blood pressure linked to subtle brain changes occurring well before memory or thinking problems appear.
Researchers said abnormal blood pressure patterns may damage the brain's white matter tracts and disrupt the blood-brain barrier, which protects brain tissue.
The findings highlight the limitations of single clinic-based blood pressure readings, noting that blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day and night, which "may carry important information about brain health." ■
