Scientists at the University of Miami have discovered that the lower number in your blood pressure reading—known as diastolic pressure—could be an important clue to your brain health.
This number may help doctors understand your risk for memory problems, strokes, or even falls.
Blood pressure is usually given as two numbers. The top number, called systolic pressure, measures how hard your blood pushes when the heart beats. The bottom number, called diastolic pressure, shows the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
Doctors often focus more on the top number to check for heart disease. But this new study suggests the bottom number is also very important, especially for brain health. Researchers studied 1,205 people aged 50 and older.
They measured their blood pressure and also did brain scans using MRI machines. The goal was to find small scars in the brain called white matter lesions.
These brain scars can make it harder for the brain to send signals properly. People with more of these lesions are more likely to suffer from memory loss, falls, or strokes. The researchers found that people with lower diastolic pressure (under 80) had fewer brain scars. Those with higher diastolic pressure (over 90) had more scars.
Previous studies have shown that high systolic pressure can hurt the brain by narrowing arteries. But this study adds new information: diastolic pressure also matters and may affect parts of the brain responsible for thinking and memory.
The white matter in our brains helps send messages that control movement, senses, and thinking. If it gets damaged, those messages can’t move properly. This may lead to balance problems, memory loss, or difficulty thinking clearly.
The American Heart Association says that by age 60, up to 20% of people already have white matter lesions. By age 90, almost everyone has them. So finding ways to prevent this brain damage is very important.
This study shows that checking the bottom number of blood pressure could help doctors spot early brain problems. It was especially helpful for finding a type of lesion called periventricular white matter lesions. These are strongly linked to memory issues and thinking problems.
The brain gets blood from many arteries, and high blood pressure affects different parts of the brain in different ways. Learning more about this can help doctors create better treatments to stop strokes and dementia before they begin.
The study was led by Michelle R. Caunca and was published in the journal Stroke. The researchers encourage everyone to know their blood pressure numbers and to talk to their doctors about what those numbers mean. Taking care of your blood pressure is not just about your heart—it’s also important for your brain.
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