Heart disease in men: Although heart disease is dangerous for both men and women, it is a bigger problem for men. Men with high cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and high blood pressure may see declines in brain health nearly a decade earlier than women, according to a new study. Studies using UK Biobank data have found that higher cardiovascular disease risk factors are associated with rapid brain volume reduction, affecting the area of the temporal lobe that is essential for memory and sensory processing. If you manage cardiovascular risk before age 55, problems may be reduced.
How was the research done?
Researchers analyzed data from 34,425 participants aged 45 to 82 in the UK Biobank who underwent abdominal and brain scans. The findings, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, showed that higher levels of abdominal and visceral fat were associated with less volume of gray matter in the brain of both men and women. However, neurodegeneration due to cardiovascular risk factors began approximately a decade earlier in men than in women and lasted for 2 decades.
‘More impact on men’
Professor Paul Addison, of the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, said in a statement: “It was important to know that heart disease had such a strong impact on dementia in men compared to women a decade ago, and this was not previously known. “This has important implications for how we can treat heart disease in men and women to prevent dementia in the future.”
Previous studies have found that cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. However, the new study shows that “men were more sensitive to the harmful effects of cardiovascular exposure than women a decade ago, with temporal lobe regions being particularly sensitive to the harmful effects.”
Researchers measured cardiovascular risk using the Framingham Risk Score. analyzedwhich took into account factors such as age, blood pressure, smoking and diabetes. Changes in the brain were measured using voxel-based morphometry, a neuroimaging technique. They found that the temporal lobes, which are essential for auditory processes, visual processing, emotional regulation, and memory, were the most affected areas. These functions are often reduced for the first time in early-stage dementia.
What can men do?
The new study also highlights the importance of managing cardiovascular risks such as obesity to prevent neurodegeneration. Studies show that trying before age 55 may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and heart-related events such as heart attack and stroke.