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At the Heart of Brain Disorders - Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia

Augusto Vicario1, Gustavo H Cerezo1

  • 1Buenos Aires Cardiovascular Institute, Argentina.

European Cardiology
|October 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Controlling vascular risk factors early is key to preventing cognitive decline and dementia. Addressing these shared heart and brain health issues decades before symptoms appear offers the best prevention strategy.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Vascular risk factors impact both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.
  • Shared pathologies link vascular brain injury and neurodegeneration, leading to cognitive impairment.
  • Long-term exposure to vascular risks precedes neurocognitive disease onset by 10-20 years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical role of vascular risk factors in neurocognitive diseases.
  • To emphasize the importance of early detection and management of modifiable vascular risks.
  • To underscore prevention strategies for cognitive decline and dementia.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vascular risk factors and neurocognitive disorders.
  • Analysis of the relationship between small vessel disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease pathology.
  • Examination of the temporal relationship between vascular risk factor exposure and disease onset.

Main Results:

  • Vascular brain injury, including small vessel disease and stroke, contributes to cognitive decline.
  • Combined vascular and neurodegenerative pathologies accelerate cognitive impairment and dementia.
  • A significant delay exists between vascular risk factor exposure and clinical manifestation of neurocognitive diseases.

Conclusions:

  • Early and consistent control of modifiable vascular risk factors is essential for dementia prevention.
  • Interventions targeting vascular health may mitigate the risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
  • Preventive strategies focusing on vascular health are the most promising approach to reduce the burden of neurocognitive diseases.

Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseCognitive impairmentcardiovascular preventiondementiavascular dementiavascular risk factors

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