Summary
Previous studies have identified effects of age and vascular risk factors on brain injury in elderly people. An article published by Lancet Neurology has now shown that high blood pressure can result in brain changes in people even under 40 years old.
“Researchers measured blood pressure in 579 men and women whose average age was 39, then examined their brains with magnetic resonance imaging. After adjusting for smoking, hypertension treatment and total cranial volume, the study found that higher systolic blood pressure was associated with decreases in grey matter volume and significant injury to white matter”.
Read more: NAPC GP Bulletin, November 2012.
The authors of the article suggest that – since discernible vascular brain injury develops insidiously even in young adults – the early and optimal control of blood pressure should have a greater importance.
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Reference
Maillard, P. Seshadri, S. [and] Beiser, A. [et al] (2012). Effects of systolic blood pressure on white-matter integrity in young adults in the Framingham Heart Study: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Neurology, December 2012, Vol.11(12), pp.1039-47. (Click here to view the PubMed abstract).
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Full Text Link (Note: This article requires a suitable Athens password, a journal subscription or payment for access).
Reference
Scuteri, A. (2012). Brain injury as end-organ damage in hypertension. Lancet Neurology, December 2012, Vol.11(12), pp.1015-7. (Click here to view the PubMed record).
