Control your BP to prevent Alzheimer disease
By keeping your blood pressure in check, you may be able to lower your odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease, even if you have a genetic mutation that puts you at higher risk for the memory-robbing disorder.
Results of brain scans performed on 118 adults age 47 to 89 showed that those whose blood pressure was under control had fewer of the beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s.
As expected, participants with a genetic risk of the disease and high blood pressure had significantly more of the tell-tale brain plaques than the other study patients, according to researchers at the University of Texas, Dallas.
While this study didn’t prove a cause and effect relationship between high blood pressure, the genetic mutation and increased amounts of brain plaque, it suggests that keeping your blood pressure under control can do more than just lower your risk of heart disease. It may be the way to keep your brain healthy, too. The study was published in the March 18, 2013 issue of JAMA Neurology.
Dr. Ajay Sati.
