Scientists from the University of Miami have found something new about blood pressure that could help protect our brains.
Blood pressure is often used to check for heart problems, but this study shows it might also give clues about brain health, especially when it comes to the lower number—called diastolic blood pressure.
Blood pressure has two numbers. The top number, called systolic pressure, measures how hard your blood pushes when your heart beats. The bottom number, called diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when your heart is resting between beats.
Doctors usually focus more on the top number when checking for heart disease. But this new study suggests that the bottom number may be just as important—especially when it comes to the brain.
In the study, researchers looked at 1,205 adults aged 50 and older. They checked their blood pressure and took MRI brain scans. They looked for small spots of damage in the brain called white matter lesions.
These lesions can block nerve signals and make it harder for different parts of the brain to talk to each other. They’re linked to memory problems, falling, and strokes.
The study found that people with lower diastolic blood pressure (below 80) had fewer of these brain lesions. In contrast, people with higher diastolic pressure (above 90) had more lesions. This means that keeping the bottom number low may help protect the brain.
We already know from past research that high systolic pressure can narrow the arteries, leading to white matter damage. But this new study shows that diastolic pressure can also be a problem, especially in parts of the brain that control thinking and memory.
White matter in the brain works like a highway system for nerve signals. When lesions appear in this area, it’s like a roadblock—messages get delayed or lost. This can lead to trouble with balance, slower thinking, and memory loss.
The American Heart Association says that 10–20% of people over 60 have these lesions, and by the time people reach 90, they’re very common.
This study is important because it could help doctors catch brain problems earlier. If they monitor diastolic blood pressure more closely, they may be able to prevent or slow down damage that leads to dementia or strokes.
One key area the researchers looked at is called the periventricular white matter. Damage in this part of the brain is closely tied to thinking problems and memory loss.
Blood reaches different parts of the brain through different arteries. If blood pressure is too high, it can harm these areas in different ways. By better understanding these patterns, doctors might create new ways to protect the brain.
The researchers encourage everyone to learn their blood pressure numbers and talk to their doctor about the best way to keep them in a healthy range.
If you care about stroke, please read research about Stronger high blood pressure treatment may help prevent stroke in older people and findings of Stroke death risk increases again after falling for 40 years.
For more about stroke, please read research about Research finds a better high blood pressure treatment for stroke patients and findings of Scientists find a better drug than statins for stroke patients.
This study was led by Michelle R. Caunca and published in the journal Stroke.
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