Healthier Hearts in Middle Age Help Black Women’s Brains Stay Strong

Key Takeaways Better heart health is associated with a sharper aging mind for middle-aged Black women Black women in worse heart health experienced a 10% decrease in their mental processing over two decades White women did not have a similar association between heart and brain health FRIDAY, April 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Better heart health can lead to a sharper mind for middle-aged Black women, a new study says. Black women with worse heart health experienced a 10% decrease in their ability to think on their feet over two decades, researchers found. On the other hand, Black women with good heart health showed little decline in their mental processing. “Take care of your heart, and it will benefit your brain,” said lead researcher Imke Janssen,  a professor of family and preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Better cardiovascular health in women in their 40s is important to prevent later-life Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and to maintain independent living.” For the study, researchers assessed heart health among middle-aged Black and white women and compared it to cognitive tests the women took every one to two years for 20 years. The study included 363 Black and 402 white women...