Cardiovascular Health Status at Age 50 Linked to Dementia Risk in Later Life

A study in BMJ suggests middle-aged adults may be able to lower their risk of dementia by controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol and avoiding other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, reports the U.S. National Institute on Aging . The researchers looked at the cardiovascular risk factors 25 years before a diagnosis of dementia in the U.K.'s Whitehall II study. At the start, 7,899 participants at age 50 lacked cardiovascular disease or dementia, and 347 developed dementia over the 25-year study period. Individuals with optimal and intermediate cardiovascular health were less likely to get dementia compared to those with poor cardiovascular health. Analysis of magnetic resonance images of the brain from 708 participants determined those with intermediate and optimal cardiovascular health scores had larger brain volume two decades later versus those with poor cardiovascular health by age 50. The implication is that persons with poor cardiovascular health at midlife may be more prone to reduced brain volume in their later years, and that volume shrinks in people with dementia.