Do you know what high blood pressure is? It’s a health condition where the force of blood against your artery walls is too strong.
Imagine your arteries like garden hoses. If the water pressure is too high, it can damage the hose. The same happens in our bodies with high blood pressure.
But that’s not all! A new study has found out that high blood pressure can also damage our brains and affect our thinking skills. Let’s dive in and learn more about it!
High Blood Pressure and the Brain
Scientists have recently made a big discovery. They found out that high blood pressure can cause damage to specific parts of our brains.
This damage could lead to difficulties in thinking, and even a condition called dementia, where people have a hard time remembering things.
Before this study, we knew high blood pressure had something to do with brain problems. But we didn’t know exactly where in the brain it was causing trouble.
How Did They Find Out?
The scientists used a special machine called an MRI to look at people’s brains. They also used genetic information from these people.
Using these two methods, they could see how high blood pressure was affecting their thinking abilities.
They found that increases in blood pressure damaged certain areas of the brain.
Some of these areas were the putamen and specific parts of the brain’s white matter. This led to problems with memory and thinking skills.
What Does This Mean?
This study is very important. It shows us exactly where in the brain high blood pressure can cause damage.
It can help doctors identify people who are at risk of developing thinking problems at an early stage. This means they can start treatment earlier.
One thing to remember is that the people in this study were mainly white and middle-aged. So, we’re not sure if the same results would be true for older people or people of different races.
High Blood Pressure: A Global Problem
High blood pressure affects nearly one in three people around the world. That’s a lot of people! And even more people are just starting to show signs of high blood pressure.
Looking Ahead
This study gives us hope for the future. By looking more closely at the genes and proteins in these damaged brain areas, scientists might be able to come up with new treatments for high blood pressure-related thinking problems.
Understanding High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. Doctors measure it in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). They give you two numbers.
The first one is called systolic, and the second one is diastolic. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is consistently at or above 130/80 mm Hg, you have hypertension.
Risks and Treatments
Having high blood pressure can lead to serious problems. It can cause heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, and even thinking and memory problems.
Some things can make you more likely to have high blood pressure.
These include having a family member with high blood pressure, being overweight, smoking, not exercising enough, being stressed, and eating a diet high in salt and processed foods.
To treat high blood pressure, you might need to make some lifestyle changes. These can include getting more exercise, losing weight, eating a healthier diet, and taking medications to lower your blood pressure.
It’s important to check your blood pressure regularly, especially if you’re at risk of hypertension.
So, remember to take care of your heart and your brain by keeping your blood pressure in check. Eat healthy, stay active, and see your doctor regularly.
You’ll be doing your part to protect your brain from the sneaky thief of memory and thought – high blood pressure!
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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