Boost your heart, save your brain: How better heart health fights dementia

Protecting your heart not only keeps your body healthy but also shields your brain from cognitive decline. Learn how early interventions in heart health could help prevent dementia and improve brain function.

Review: Heart failure, atrial fibrillation & coronary heart disease linked to cognitive impairment. Image Credit: Jo Panuwat D / Shutterstock

In a recent review published in the journal Stroke, a group of authors explored the mechanisms linking common cardiac diseases to cognitive impairment and highlighted the potential for reducing neurological risk by improving cardiovascular health.

Background

The heart and brain are closely linked, with the heart providing essential oxygen and nutrients to the brain, while the brain controls heart function via the autonomic nervous system. This relationship is also influenced by complex mechanisms such as neurohormonal activation and systemic inflammation, both of which can accelerate cognitive decline in the presence of heart disease.

Studies reveal that adverse cardiac conditions, like increased left ventricular wall thickness, are associated with brain abnormalities, such as changes in white matter (WM) structure. Recent findings also point to the prevalence of silent brain infarcts, which occur without noticeable symptoms but contribute to long-term cognitive deterioration.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and vascular risk factors (VRFs) contribute to cognitive decline, brain injury, and dementia. Addressing VRFs early in life, such as through managing blood pressure and cholesterol, may help mitigate these risks. Further research is essential to unravel these links’ complex mechanisms and develop effective prevention and treatment approaches.

Cardiac and Brain Health: A Synergistic Relationship

The heart and brain operate in a dynamic partnership. The brain depends on the heart for a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, while the heart relies on the brain for regulation through autonomic control. This two-way interaction, when disrupted by disease, can lead to significant health complications.

Genetic and phenotypic factors often influence both organs, and damage to one can have repercussions for the other. For example, changes in heart structure, such as an increase in left ventricular wall thickness, have been associated with brain abnormalities, including reductions in WM integrity. These abnormalities, often detectable through imaging, signal the early onset of cognitive impairment in patients with CVDs.

The Impact of CVDs on Brain Health

HF and Cognitive Decline

HF is a complex condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, leading to poor circulation and reduced oxygenation of the brain.

Studies have found that HF is often associated with cognitive decline, particularly in older adults. In fact, up to 43% of patients with HF exhibit some form of cognitive impairment. Cognitive functions like memory, attention, and executive function are frequently impaired in patients with HF. Reduced cardiac output and cerebral hypoperfusion are thought to contribute to this cognitive deterioration, as the brain receives less blood flow and oxygen.

Emerging research suggests that the relationship between HF and brain health extends beyond simple oxygen deprivation. For instance, HF is associated with increased inflammation and neurohormonal activation, both of which are linked to neurodegenerative processes.

Additionally, structural changes in the brain, such as WM hyperintensities and silent brain infarcts, are more common in individuals with HF.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Brain Health

AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, characterized by irregular and often rapid heartbeats. AF significantly increases the risk of stroke, which can directly lead to cognitive impairment. However, even in the absence of stroke, AF is associated with an elevated risk of dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. Recent studies suggest that this increased risk may be due to silent microemboli, which impair cerebral blood flow.

Furthermore, AF has been linked to an increased burden of WM lesions and other markers of small vessel disease, which are associated with cognitive decline. Inflammatory processes related to AF may also contribute to neuronal damage and the development of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and Cognitive Impairment

CHD occurs when the arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked, leading to heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications.

CHD is another significant contributor to cognitive decline. The shared risk factors for CHD, such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, are also risk factors for brain diseases like stroke and dementia. These risk factors not only accelerate systemic inflammation but also compromise the blood-brain barrier, allowing harmful substances to enter the brain and cause neuronal damage.

In patients with CHD, cognitive impairment is often observed following acute coronary events like myocardial infarction (heart attack). Reduced blood flow to the brain, silent cerebral infarctions, and increased WM lesions are some of the mechanisms by which CHD impacts brain health.

Interestingly, the relationship between CHD and cognitive decline is bidirectional, with cognitive decline also increasing the risk of heart disease. This suggests that integrated treatment approaches targeting both the heart and brain may offer better long-term outcomes.

Mechanisms Linking Cardiac Diseases and Cognitive Impairment

Cardiac diseases contribute to cognitive impairment through several mechanisms. Systemic inflammation from cardiovascular conditions triggers neuroinflammation, damaging brain cells.

Cerebral hypoperfusion, caused by reduced blood flow, leads to WM damage and cortical thinning. Neurohormonal activation in HF, involving hormones like angiotensin II and catecholamines, affects both heart function and cognitive processes, potentially accelerating brain degeneration. Additionally, disruptions in autonomic control can exacerbate the progression of cognitive symptoms.

Prospects for Prevention and Treatment

Given the strong link between cardiovascular health and cognitive function, early intervention and prevention strategies targeting heart health may have beneficial effects on brain health.

Controlling vascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, is critical in reducing the risk of both cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Multidomain interventions, combining diet, exercise, and cognitive training, have shown promise in preserving cognitive function.

Additionally, treatments for HF, AF, and CHD, including medications, lifestyle modifications, and surgical interventions, may also help preserve cognitive function. Precision medicine approaches could further optimize treatment strategies, addressing individual risk factors more effectively.

Conclusions

To summarize, the study concludes that cardiac diseases, including HF, AF, and CHD, are strongly linked to cognitive impairment through shared biological mechanisms such as inflammation, cerebral hypoperfusion, neurohormonal activation, and small vessel disease.

These findings highlight the interdependence of heart and brain health. By prioritizing early prevention strategies and addressing vascular risk factors at younger ages, it may be possible to mitigate cognitive decline and neurodegeneration.