Ailing heart link to grey matter loss

Heart disease may kill brain cells, say West Australian researchers. Their findings suggest that heart disease may affect a part of people’s brains governing mentally demanding tasks. The work showed that with heart failure and ischaemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart) may suffer impaired memory, reasoning and planning. Heart disease could also affect emotions and mental activity.

Prof Osvaldo Almeida, Director of Research, Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, the University of Western Australia

European Heart Journal; http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/201202064315/research/ailing-heart-link-grey-matter-loss