High Blood Pressure May Heighten Effects of Alzheimer's Disease
CHICAGO, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Having hypertension, or high bloodpressure, reduces blood flow in the brains of adults with Alzheimer's disease,according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of theRadiological Society of North America (RSNA).
"While hypertension is not a cause of Alzheimer's disease, our study showsthat it is another hit on the brain that increases its vulnerability to theeffects of the disease," said study co-author Cyrus Raji, scientist and M.D.and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pittsburgh where the study wasconducted.
Hypertension is a condition in which the blood circulates through thearteries with too much force. According to the National Heart, Lung and BloodInstitute, approximately 50 million Americans have hypertension. People withhypertension are at elevated risk for heart attack, stroke and aneurysm.Recently, there has been mounting evidence tying cardiovascular health tobrain health.
"This study demonstrates that good vascular health is also good for thebrain," said co-author Oscar Lopez, M.D., professor of neurology andpsychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. "Even in people with Alzheimer'sdisease, it is important to detect and aggressively treat hypertension andalso to focus on disease prevention."
For the study, the researchers used arterial spin-labeled magneticresonance imaging (MRI), which can measure blood flow in the brain, to image68 older adults. Arterial spin-labeled MRI is a novel, noninvasive techniquethat requires no external contrast agent.
The patient group included 48 normal individuals, including 38 withhypertension and 10 without; 20 Alzheimer's patients, including 10 withhypertension and 10 without; and 20 adults with mild cognitive impairment, 10with hypertension and 10 without. Mild cognitive impairment, which affectsbrain functions such as language, attention and reasoning, is a transitionstage between normal aging deficits in the brain and greater levels ofdementia.
The MRI results showed that in all patient groups blood flow in the brainwas substantially decreased in patients with hypertension compared to thosewithout. Cerebral blood flow was lowest among the Alzheimer's patients withhypertension, but the normal group with hypertension showed significantlylower cerebral blood flow than the normal group without hypertension.
"These results suggest that by changing blood flow to the brain,hypertension -- treated or untreated -- may contribute to the pathology ofAlzheimer's," Raji said.
Co-authors are C. Lee, M.D., W. Dai, Ph.D., J.Becker, Ph.D., L. Kuller,M.D., H. Gach, Ph.D., et al.
AT A GLANCE
-- Hypertension reduces cerebral blood flow in people with Alzheimer's
disease.
-- Arterial spin-labeled MRI is a novel, noninvasive imaging technique
that can measure cerebral blood flow.
-- Approximately 50 million Americans have hypertension.
Note: Copies of RSNA 2007 news releases and electronic images will beavailable online at RSNA.org/press07 beginning Monday, Nov. 26.
RSNA is an association of more than 41,000 radiologists, radiationoncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to excellencein patient care through education and research. The Society is based in OakBrook, Ill. (RSNA.org)
Editor's note: The data in these releases may differ from those in theprinted abstract and those actually presented at the meeting, as researcherscontinue to update their data right up until the meeting. To ensure you areusing the most up-to-date information, please call the RSNA Newsroomat 1-312-949-3233.SOURCE Radiological Society of North AmericaRSNA Newsroom, +1-312-949-3233, or before 11-24-07 or after 11-29-07, RSNAMedia Relations, +1-630-590-7762, or Maureen Morley, +1-630-590-7754,mmorley@rsna.org, or Linda Brooks, +1-630-590-7738, lbrooks@rsna.org, all ofRSNA
