A recent study from Poland shows that older adults living with heart failure tend to experience worsening mental health and thinking skills over time.
The study, led by researchers at Wroclaw Medical University, was published on April 8 in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine.
The research involved 162 people over the age of 60 who had heart failure. Heart failure happens when the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should, and this can affect other parts of the body—including the brain.
The study looked at how patients’ mental health, memory, and ability to take care of themselves changed over a six-month period.
The researchers found that people with different types of heart failure experienced these issues to varying degrees.
One group had a condition called heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF), while another had preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Ejection fraction refers to how well the heart pumps blood with each beat.
Those with HFmrEF had slightly better thinking and memory skills, as shown by higher scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, a common test used to check cognitive function.
On average, this group scored 28 out of 30, while the HFpEF group scored 27. Though the difference seems small, it may be meaningful in medical settings, especially when it comes to detecting early signs of cognitive decline.
Another important finding was that symptoms of depression got worse over time, especially in the HFpEF group. These patients’ scores on a depression and anxiety scale increased from 1 to 3 over six months, suggesting a growing burden on their mental health.
The study also found that all patients—regardless of heart failure type—had more difficulty taking care of themselves as time went on. Their scores on a self-care behavior scale rose slightly, from 28 to 29, indicating that even basic tasks became harder. In this scale, a higher score actually reflects worse self-care ability.
The researchers also measured a blood marker called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), which shows how much stress the heart is under. People with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction had the highest levels of this marker, suggesting their condition was more severe compared to the other groups.
In summary, the study shows that heart failure doesn’t just affect the heart—it also impacts the brain and emotional well-being. Thinking skills decline, depression worsens, and people find it harder to take care of themselves as the condition progresses.
The authors of the study recommend that doctors start regularly checking for mental health issues and cognitive problems in people with heart failure. They believe that different types of heart failure may require different types of care, especially when it comes to mental health and brain function.
In conclusion, this research highlights how closely connected the heart and brain are. For older adults with heart failure, it’s not just the heart that needs support—attention to mental and emotional health is just as important for improving quality of life and long-term outcomes.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
The research findings can be found in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
