Is Left Ventricular Dysfunction Associated with Increased Risk of Alzheimer's Disease Independent of Classical Vascular Dementia Pathways?

Is Left Ventricular Dysfunction Associated with Increased Risk of Alzheimer's Disease Independent of Classical Vascular Dementia Pathways?

Alvin Sherman Library

This poster examines the potential connection between left ventricular dysfunction and the risk of Alzheimer's disease in older adults. Studies suggest that reduced heart function may affect brain health by limiting blood flow to the brain, increasing inflammation, and interfering with the brain's ability to clear harmful proteins such as amyloid-β and tau. These processes resemble changes commonly seen in Alzheimer's disease. In population-based studies, individuals with heart failure or structural abnormalities of the left ventricle appear to have a higher risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, even after accounting for major risk factors such as hypertension and clinical stroke. However, the evidence is not entirely consistent, and it remains difficult to separate Alzheimer's disease from subtle or undetected vascular brain injury that often accompanies cardiac disease. What is clear is that left ventricular dysfunction is associated with poorer cognitive outcomes and reduced cognitive reserve in aging adults. Overall, these findings suggest that heart health and brain health are closely linked, and that preserving cardiac function may play an important role in reducing dementia risk, alongside traditional strategies aimed at managing vascular disease.