Three conditions that affect the heart are also linked to impaired brain function and increased dementia risk, according to a scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association in 2024.
The statement is based on the latest scientific research on the relationship between heart and brain health, and it emphasizes the interconnectivity of the two organs.
The findings suggest that boosting cardiovascular health earlier in life might reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in the future, the AHA says.
The AHA says these three heart conditions are linked to dementia or declining brain health.
1. Heart failure
What it is: Heart failure refers to a condition in which the heart does not pump as well as it should. As a result, not enough blood gets to the body’s cells. Fatigue, shortness of breath and sometimes excessive coughing are symptoms of heart failure.
How it’s connected to cognitive decline: Nearly 50% of people with heart failure also experience some level of cognitive impairment, according to the AHA. Heart failure can adversely impact brain health through:
- Reduced blood flow that causes mini-strokes or silent brain injuries
- Chronic inflammation and neurohormonal activation that damages the brain
- Gray matter volume reduction, white matter damage and other brain changes that are associated with heart failure. (Gray matter and white matter are types of tissue in the brain and spinal cord.)
The AHA notes that earlier studies have found that anywhere from 14% to 81% of people with heart failure also have some type of cognitive impairment that impacts language, memory or executive function (which refers to the mental processes involved in setting and accomplishing goals).
2. Atrial fibrillation
What it is: Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). Often referred to as “A-fib,” it’s the most common heart rhythm disorder in adults in the U.S. It affected about 2.7 million people as of 2020 — and that figure is expected to jump to 16 million by 2050.
Atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other more serious heart problems.
How it’s connected to cognitive decline: Atrial fibrillation shares many risk factors with dementia. These include:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart failure
- Smoking
- Vascular disease
- Breathing that is characteristic of a sleep disorder
- Advanced age
All of these factors cause changes in the brain that are both structural and functional, which lead to cognitive impairment, according to the AHA. One large analysis of medical data found that having atrial fibrillation boosts the risk of memory and thinking problems by 39%.
3. Coronary heart disease
What it is: Coronary heart disease is a buildup of plaque in the heart’s arteries. It can lead to heart attack or ischemic stroke (a type of stroke that affects blood flow to the brain). The disease itself is the result of coronary artery disease, although many medical professionals use the terms interchangeably.
In many cases, coronary heart diease has no symptoms until you have a heart attack. For this reason, it’s often called the “silent killer.”
How it’s connected to cognitive decline: Common risk factors for coronary heart disease include high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, both of which lead to reduced blood flow to the brain, which in turn leads to cognitive decline and dementia.
One large review of medical studies found that those with heart disease are at a 27% higher risk of developing dementia when compared with people who don’t have heart disease. In addition, up to half of people who have a heart attack lose some brain function afterward.
Ways to protect heart health
If the American Heart Association’s scientific statement on the connections between heart and brain health has spurred you to take better care of your ticker, but you’re not sure where to start, you might want to check out:
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