New study links elevated blood pressure to accelerated brain aging

New research released in October 2021 has shown that elevated blood pressure results in faster brain aging. The study was completed by scientists from the Australian National University (ANU) in collaboration with researchers from New Zealand and Germany. It was published in the Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience Journal. This new research comes after a large international study involving over 104 million participants showed that the number of people over 30 with high blood pressure has doubled globally. Normal blood pressure is defined by numbers below 120/80 mmHg, while optimal and healthy blood pressure is closer to 110/70. The researchers measured the blood pressure of 686 healthy individuals aged between 44 and 76 years then took over 2,000 brain scans. The resulting data was used to establish whether there was a link between a person’s brain age (which is a measure of brain health) and blood pressure readings. The team established that optimal blood pressure helped the brain stay at least six months younger than the participant’s actual age. “Compared to a person with a high blood pressure of 135/85, someone with an optimal reading of 110/70 was found to have a brain age that appears more than six months younger by the time they reach middle age,” said Professor Abhayaratna, a cardiologist and co-author of the study. Participants with elevated blood pressure, but within the normal range, had older-looking brains and were at risk of serious health problems. Past studies have identified elevated blood pressure as a leading cause of premature death and a major health risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Professor Nicolas Cherbuin, the study’s lead author, argued that these findings highlight an important concern for younger people in their 20s and 30s because it takes time for the impact of elevated blood pressure to affect the brain. “By detecting the impact of increased blood pressure on the brain health of people in their 40s and older, we have to assume the effects of elevated blood pressure must build up over many years and could start in their 20s. This means that a young person’s brain is already vulnerable. It starts earlier and it starts in people who have normal blood pressure,” he said. Professor Cherbuin is also the head of the ANU Center for Research on Aging, Health, and Wellbeing. The ANU team is now calling for national health guidelines to be updated to reflect the importance of these findings. They have also emphasized the need for everyone, young people included, to have their blood pressure checked regularly. “It’s important we introduce lifestyle and diet changes early on in life to prevent our blood pressure from rising too much, rather than waiting for it to become a problem. Australian adults should take the opportunity to check their blood pressure at least once a year when they see their GP, with an aim to ensure that their target blood pressure is closer to 110/70, particularly in younger and middle age groups. If your blood pressure levels are elevated, you should take the opportunity to speak with your GP about ways to reduce your blood pressure, including the modification of lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity,” added Professor Abhayaratna.