Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 26, 2026
09:45
Motor and Hippocampal Dependent Spatial Learning and Reference Memory Assessment in a Transgenic Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease with Stroke
Published on: March 22, 2016
9.8K
Heart failure and Alzheimer's disease
P Cermakova1, M Eriksdotter, L H Lund
1Division for Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden; International Clinical Research Center and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
Journal of Internal Medicine
|July 22, 2014
Summary
Heart failure may increase Alzheimer's disease risk by impairing brain blood flow and neuronal energy. This review explores the link between heart conditions and Alzheimer's pathology.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Emerging evidence suggests heart failure is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
- Heart failure-induced cerebral hypoperfusion and neurohormonal changes may disrupt the neurovascular unit.
- This disruption can lead to neuronal energy deficits, amyloid-beta accumulation, and tau hyperphosphorylation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current knowledge on the heart failure-Alzheimer's disease relationship.
- To examine underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
- To discuss contributing cardiovascular factors and their impact.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies.
- Analysis of brain imaging research.
- Examination of pathological findings and animal models.
Main Results:
- Heart failure contributes to Alzheimer's pathology through impaired cerebral blood flow and neurovascular dysfunction.
- Mechanisms include neuronal energy crisis, reduced amyloid-beta clearance, and tau protein hyperphosphorylation.
- Cardiovascular conditions like atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and atrial fibrillation are key factors.
Conclusions:
- Heart failure represents a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease development.
- Understanding these links is crucial for developing preventative and therapeutic strategies.
- Further research into cardiovascular interventions may benefit Alzheimer's disease patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
19
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
19
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
1.5K
Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
1.5K
01:26Imbalances in Cardiac Output
3.3K
The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send...
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send...
3.3K
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
4.6K
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
4.6K
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
29
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
29
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
1.7K
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
1.7K