The Importance of Identifying Early Changes in Cardiac Structure and Function for the Prevention of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.
Multiple cardiac pathologies have been shown to contribute to progressive cognitive decline and dementia in elderly populations, including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a marker of prolonged exposure to hypertension. Although associations between chronic hypertension and cognitive function are thought to be mediated primarily by these end organ effects, there is increasing evidence that early changes in cardiac structure and function, such as LVH, may independently contribute to cognitive decline and impairment. In the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Mahinrad and colleagues report important new findings on the association between LVH and cognitive function that are incremental to cardiovascular risk and co-morbidity, including hypertension. Emerging evidence that early changes in cardiac structure and function may independently contribute to cognitive decline in elderly populations has resulted in an increased interest in these preclinical substrates as potential treatment targets for the prevention of cognitive decline and in their putative contributions to the pathogenesis of dementia.
['Edwards|Jodi D|JD|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases D003072:Cognition Disorders D003704:Dementia D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008609:Mental Status Schedule D012307:Risk Factors
cognition left ventricular hypertrophy hypertension Cardiac dysfunction