NEW YORK: Alzheimer’s disease could be picked up decades before symptoms begin by checking for hardening of the arteries, according to new research.
A study of almost 2,000 people found brain damage linked with dementia can even occur in those still in their 40s if they have the common heart condition.
It is the first time the connection has been made and may help doctors predict who will go on to develop mental decline when there is still time to make lifestyle changes or take drugs to slow it down.
Smoking, a high-fat diet, lack of exercise, being overweight or obese, having diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol leads to arteries becoming clogged up by fatty substances known as plaques.
The stiffness of arteries influences how hard the heart has to work to pump blood through the body.
Also known as atherosclerosis, it is a known risk factor for dementia because it raises blood pressure and can cause damage to blood vessels in the brain.
Neurologist Dr Pauline Maillard, of the University of California at Davis, said: “This study shows for the first time increasing arterial stiffness is detrimental to the brain, and that increasing stiffness and brain injury begin in early middle life, before we commonly think of prevalent diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease or stroke having an impact.
“These results may be a new avenue of treatment to sustain brain health.”