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High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

nih.gov

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Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#21

Post by zwieback »

garganzol wrote: post #11

High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence. This is what happens in malnutrition. Absence of nutrients and coenzymes (vitamins) leads to energy deficit and results in cellular damage, nervous system tries to compensate that by increasing blood flow, so it induces high blood pressure to have better chances of survival with increased blood perfusion and substrates delivery rate…

Sure but the research in the article shows that hypertension caused a specific form of cognitive decline and that the effect could be slowed even if the hypertension itself isn't fixed. So, basically the article says there are cases where the cognitive decline is a direct result of the hypertension, the opposite of your first sentence.

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#22

Post by emmelaich »

rqtwteye wrote: post #13
garganzol wrote: post #11

High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence. This is what happens in malnutrition. Absence of nutrients and coenzymes (vitamins) leads to energy deficit and results in cellular damage, nervous system tries to compensate that by increasing blood flow, so it induces high blood pressure to have better chances of survival with increased blood perfusion and substrates delivery rate…

"High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence." Isn't that the same?

A consequence of cognitive decline.

You're right that it can be read both ways.

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#23

Post by emmelaich »

Scoundreller wrote: post #12
garganzol wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> don't breathe Lack of oxygen immediately contributes to cognitive decline.

Only in the long-term (ie: more than 5 seconds). But for those initial seconds, you're a bit better off!

Swings and roundabouts. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#26

Post by iamdbtoo »

This is very related to a theory I have that as my blood pressure has gotten higher over the years my ADHD also gets more difficult to manage. Guanfacine has also helped my symptoms more than anything and it was first brought to market as a blood pressure medication.

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#28

Post by nradov »

okr wrote: post #6
CrzyLngPwd wrote: post #4

Is there anything that won't contribute to cognitive decline?

Stay young and don't breathe.

Atmospheric nitrogen is a very mild anesthetic which reduces cognition. If we could replace nitrogen with helium in the gas we breathe then we would all be a tiny bit smarter.

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#29

Post by graeme »

garganzol wrote: post #11

High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence. This is what happens in malnutrition. Absence of nutrients and coenzymes (vitamins) leads to energy deficit and results in cellular damage, nervous system tries to compensate that by increasing blood flow, so it induces high blood pressure to have better chances of survival with increased blood perfusion and substrates delivery rate…

Perhaps you mean a third factor causes both cognitive decline and high blood pressure? There is no world in which losing cognitive capacity directly increases blood pressure.

Further, it could be a third factor causes both, but also that high blood pressure independently worsens the issue. The body keeps blood pressure in a certain range for a reason.

Re: High blood pressure may contribute to cognitive decline

#30

Post by atlgator »

zwieback wrote: post #21
garganzol wrote: post #11

High blood pressure may be not a cause of cognitive decline, but just a consequence. This is what happens in malnutrition. Absence of nutrients and coenzymes (vitamins) leads to energy deficit and results in cellular damage, nervous system tries to compensate that by increasing blood flow, so it induces high blood pressure to have better chances of survival with increased blood perfusion and substrates delivery rate…

Sure but the research in the article shows that hypertension caused a specific form of cognitive decline and that the effect could be slowed even if the hypertension itself isn't fixed. So, basically the article says there are cases where the cognitive decline is a direct result of the hypertension, the opposite of your first sentence.

But they didn't reduce the hypertension metabolically. They just treated it directly with hypertension drugs. This suggests hypertension could just be a symptom (along with cognitive decline) caused by something else.
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