Summary
It appears that people who experience frequent drops in blood pressure or dizziness when standing up suddenly may be at increased risk of dementia, perhaps due to a decreased flow of blood to the brain.
Reference
‘Dementia link to sudden low blood pressure and dizziness’. London: BBC Health News, October 12th 2016.
This relates to:
Reference
Wolters, FJ. Mattace-Raso, FUS. [and] Koudstaal, PJ. [et al], Heart Brain Connection Collaborative Research Group (2016). Orthostatic hypotension and the long-term risk of dementia: a population-based study. PLoS Medicine. October 11th 2016. [Epub ahead of print].
See also, for a due sense of perspective:
Reference
Blood pressure drop on standing ‘may be linked to dementia’. London: NHS Choices; Behind the Headlines, October 12th 2016.
Earlier work from the Heart Brain Connection Collaborative Research Group:
Reference
Wolters, FJ. de Bruijn, RF. [and] Hofman, A. [et al], Heart Brain Connection Collaborative Research Group (2016). Cerebral vasoreactivity, apolipoprotein e, and the risk of dementia: a population-based study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. January 2016; 36(1): 204-10.