Researchers have identified the specific regions of the brain that can be damaged by high blood pressure, which may in turn contribute to a decline in mental processes and the development of dementia.
The study, part-funded by the charity the British Heart Foundation (BHF), used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brains, as well as analysis of observational and genetic data from thousands of patients, to look at the effect of high blood pressure on cognitive function.
The researchers then checked their findings in a separate, large group of patients in Italy.
High blood pressure is common and occurs in an estimated 30% of adults worldwide. It has been known to play a role in causing dementia and damage to brain function.
However, it was not known exactly how high blood pressure damaged the brain and which specific regions could be affected.
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The study, published in the European Heart Journal, has shown how this potentially happens.
The researchers found changes to nine parts of the brain were related to higher blood pressure and worse cognitive function, such as memory loss and a decline in thinking skills.
This may be how high blood pressure increases the risk of developing conditions such as vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers argued.
The nine brain areas included the putamen, the round structure at the base of the front of the brain responsible for regulating movement and influencing various types of learning.
Also affected were regions of white matter that connect and enable signalling between different parts of the brain.
The changes in these areas included alterations to connections between different parts of the brain, and changes in measures of brain activity.
By studying genes and proteins in these specific brain areas, researchers may be able to develop new treatments for people with cognitive impairment and high blood pressure, the BHF has said.
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Professor Tomasz Guzik, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Edinburgh and Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, who led the research, said: “By looking at these specific regions of the brain, we may be able to predict who will develop memory loss and dementia faster in the context of high blood pressure.
“This could help with precision medicine, so that we can target more intensive therapies to prevent the development of cognitive impairment in patients most at risk,” he added.
