Healthy Hearts Indicate Healthy Brains

A new study indicates that heart and brain health are closely associated.

Specifically, the new research shows that those with the highest cardiac output, or blood flow from the heart, also have higher brain volumes.

Angela Jefferson, associate professor of neurology at the Alzheimer’s Disease Center (Boston University School of Medicine )led a team of researchers who studied 1,500 participants from the Framingham Offspring Cohort.* 

Of those who took part in the study, 10% were smokers, 9% had diabetes and 28% had high blood pressure.   Just over half (54%) were women; the average age was 61.

Through MRI scanning of the heart and brain, the team discovered that those that had middle and low range cardiac output for their size showed 2 more years of brain aging than did those in the high range.

According to Health Day, a surprising finding of the study was the fact that those who fell in the mid-range of cardiac output did not show more brain volume than those in the lower range; the researchers expected a more linear relationship between the two.

Although the study clearly establishes a link between heart and brain health, Jefferson’s team emphasizes that further research must be obtained to determine whether or not it’s causal.

*The original Framingham study was established in 1948 in response to the growing awareness that death from cardiovascular disease was becoming more prevalent than mortality from infectious diseases.   Participants were from Framingham, MA, a Boston suburb.   Soon after becoming established, the study was incorporated by the National Heart Institute.