High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline(nih.gov)
nih.gov
High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline
https://www.nih.gov/news-events-news-releases/salty-immune-cells-surrounding-brain-linked-hypertension-induced-dementia
49 comments
Sure but the research in the article shows that hypertension caused a specific form of cognitive decline and that the effect could be slowed even if the hypertension itself isn't fixed. So, basically the article says there are cases where the cognitive decline is a direct result of the hypertension, the opposite of your first sentence.
But they didn't reduce the hypertension metabolically. They just treated it directly with hypertension drugs. This suggests hypertension could just be a symptom (along with cognitive decline) caused by something else.
You are just speculating btw, a lot of people have primary hypertension with no apparent cause. Bodies are like that or there is some mystery ailment no one has ever been able to pinpoint, it's a leap to speculate that some hidden cause is also linked to cognitive decline.
Other causes of hypertension are very well known
Other causes of hypertension are very well known
"No apparent cause." That doesn't mean there is no cause. Doctors just don't know what it is in that case, which is my point. It's the same with cholesterol levels now. It used to be you got high cholesterol "from eating too much cholesterol" until they realized some people just have high cholesterol regardless of what they eat. So they continue to seek a cause.
So if you have low stomach acid that prevents nutrient absorption then you might get high blood pressure ?
All these years they've been telling us some BS about eating salt and such. No one knows anything about how exactly human body works and all the parts that interconnected to each other. Even today we have specialists that treat a specific condition, a cardiologist doesn't look at GI issues. If you are going to a hospital to "treat" your chronic condition then you've already lost the battle. Once they've ruled out very obvious things like infection and such, you are pretty much on your own.
All these years they've been telling us some BS about eating salt and such. No one knows anything about how exactly human body works and all the parts that interconnected to each other. Even today we have specialists that treat a specific condition, a cardiologist doesn't look at GI issues. If you are going to a hospital to "treat" your chronic condition then you've already lost the battle. Once they've ruled out very obvious things like infection and such, you are pretty much on your own.
Interesting about the immune system link. I noticed my terrible hay fever eased a lot after my BP came way way down (from ~220 to 130-something).
"High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence."
Isn't that the same?
Isn't that the same?
"Cause" is the literal opposite of "consequence", unless you're postulating a feedback loop.
Depends how you read the line.
If you read it this way, they are the same.
> "High blood pressure may be not [be] a cause of cognitive decline, but [cognitive decline may] just [be] a consequence [of high blood pressure]."
The other interpretation makes less sense.
> "High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence [of cognitive decline]."
The implication here is that cognitive decline causes high blood pressure, which doesn't make any sense.
The author I think was trying to say they have a common cause, but I don't believe there's any evidence for the mechanism on which their thesis relies.
If you read it this way, they are the same.
> "High blood pressure may be not [be] a cause of cognitive decline, but [cognitive decline may] just [be] a consequence [of high blood pressure]."
The other interpretation makes less sense.
> "High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence [of cognitive decline]."
The implication here is that cognitive decline causes high blood pressure, which doesn't make any sense.
The author I think was trying to say they have a common cause, but I don't believe there's any evidence for the mechanism on which their thesis relies.
The implication is that a dying brain (= cognitive decline) initiates a flight or fight response which includes adrenaline flare ups and high blood pressure as a result.
A consequence of cognitive decline.
You're right that it can be read both ways.
You're right that it can be read both ways.
Perhaps you mean a third factor causes both cognitive decline and high blood pressure? There is no world in which losing cognitive capacity directly increases blood pressure.
Further, it could be a third factor causes both, but also that high blood pressure independently worsens the issue. The body keeps blood pressure in a certain range for a reason.
Further, it could be a third factor causes both, but also that high blood pressure independently worsens the issue. The body keeps blood pressure in a certain range for a reason.
can you elaborate on the salt part? are those good or bad consequences?
A body functions correctly only when electrolytes (potassium, sodium, etc.) are in their normal ranges. Any overflow or underflow out of the corresponding range causes a derangement of biological processes (= bad consequences).
The article's real title is "Salty immune cells surrounding the brain linked to hypertension-induced dementia".
> In this study, mice were fed a high-salt diet
High salt levels increase Aldosterone (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11327640/)
> However, blocking the brain blood vessels’ ability to respond to IL-17 only partially rescued cognitive impairment, suggesting that there was another source of IL-17 acting on the brain.
Just a guess, but
To produce Aldosterone the body also over produces cortisol resulting in less somatostatin, lowering IGF-1. IGF-1 stimulates the growth and division of both oligodendrocytes and schwann cells so lower IGF-1 would decrease myelin growth and induce cognitive impairment.
High salt levels increase Aldosterone (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11327640/)
> However, blocking the brain blood vessels’ ability to respond to IL-17 only partially rescued cognitive impairment, suggesting that there was another source of IL-17 acting on the brain.
Just a guess, but
To produce Aldosterone the body also over produces cortisol resulting in less somatostatin, lowering IGF-1. IGF-1 stimulates the growth and division of both oligodendrocytes and schwann cells so lower IGF-1 would decrease myelin growth and induce cognitive impairment.
Hypertension -> blood vessel necrosis -> reduction in blood supply and nutrients to organs such as the brain -> declining mental health?
An interesting note is that of runaway hypertension when the kidneys become damaged by hypertension, decrease their ability to modulate blood pressure, thereby increasing hypertension, which damage the kidneys, which... so on.
An interesting note is that of runaway hypertension when the kidneys become damaged by hypertension, decrease their ability to modulate blood pressure, thereby increasing hypertension, which damage the kidneys, which... so on.
This is very related to a theory I have that as my blood pressure has gotten higher over the years my ADHD also gets more difficult to manage. Guanfacine has also helped my symptoms more than anything and it was first brought to market as a blood pressure medication.
I'm another data point that confirms this. ADHD has become harder to manage close to when I was diagnosed with hypertension, almost to the point of complete executive dysfunction.
Guanfacine helps significantly.
I'm also on BP medication, and if I miss a couple of doses and my BP rises, it becomes impossible to think clearly. So the link to cognitive decline seems unsurprising to me.
Guanfacine helps significantly.
I'm also on BP medication, and if I miss a couple of doses and my BP rises, it becomes impossible to think clearly. So the link to cognitive decline seems unsurprising to me.
>complete executive dysfunction
Could you describe that more? As in the sensation?
Could you describe that more? As in the sensation?
It's a complete inability to direct myself to do a task, even when it is extremely simple. For example, paying a bill, or responding to a text message. I want to do it, but the task seems insurmountable. I eventually complete the tasks by sheer attrition, but it feels like I'm walking over hot coals. Guanfacine helps significantly.
I have elevated blood pressure and what I suspect to be an undiagnosed case of ADHD. I've never made the connection until reading your comment. I thought perhaps it's just been years of doomscrolling that has destroyed my attention span. Maybe both?
I routinely get blood pressure spikes in the late afternoons. It's hard to describe but when it happens I feel like I need my vision to "zoom out", it's almost overwhelming / fatiguing to maintain what I'm looking at. I feel "spaced out" cognitively when this happens.
I routinely get blood pressure spikes in the late afternoons. It's hard to describe but when it happens I feel like I need my vision to "zoom out", it's almost overwhelming / fatiguing to maintain what I'm looking at. I feel "spaced out" cognitively when this happens.
Do you have any more information about this? It would explain the challenge I've been experiencing as I enter my early 40s with a family history of hypertension; my blood pressure has been going up, which makes sense, but my ADHD has also been getting harder to manage, which doesn't.
Sorry for the late response, but I don't have any more information about it as it's mostly anecdotal based on my experience. The best explanation I have come up with is the high blood pressure lowers the amount of oxygenated blood in the brain making it harder to produce dopamine, which it is already struggling to do.
I have a similar issue. Amphetamine gives me more side effects and seems to help less these days despite being a wonder drug thru my 20s. I’ve optimized my diet and exercise regularly, half because of this, but it only goes so far. I’m running out of levers to pull.
This is fascinating as adhd stimulants usually raise blood pressure. I am going through the adhd diagnosis process and take a bp med.. maybe I can get guanfacine.
I'm of the belief obesity causes more than 90% of the health woes in western nations.
terrible headline. This is known. What the study elucidates is how (aside from strokes, afib, heart attacks, etc etc that are a consequence of high blood pressure)
how to help and treat people with high blood pressure? any idea?
I want to take care and help my mom
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Is there anything that won't contribute to cognitive decline?
Stay young and don't breathe.
> don't breathe
Lack of oxygen immediately contributes to cognitive decline.
Lack of oxygen immediately contributes to cognitive decline.
Only in the long-term (ie: more than 5 seconds). But for those initial seconds, you're a bit better off!
Atmospheric nitrogen is a very mild anesthetic which reduces cognition. If we could replace nitrogen with helium in the gas we breathe then we would all be a tiny bit smarter.
Plenty of things are associated with cognitive growth. For example: gaming and reading.
Oh joy, yet another reason why I'm getting dumber, I'll add it to the pile
This is what happens in malnutrition. Absence of nutrients and coenzymes (vitamins) leads to energy deficit and results in cellular damage, nervous system tries to compensate that by increasing blood flow, so it induces high blood pressure to have better chances of survival with increased blood perfusion and substrates delivery rate (glucose, lipids, oxygen, coenzymes). Immune system gets activated by metabolically impaired tissues creating even more damages at the affected areas.
Changing electrolyte balance of the body by giving extremely high amounts of salt is a sure way to disrupt the metabolism with all the consequences.