Healthy heart, healthy brain

Treating high blood pressure may have a major role in preventing dementia, according to a new book based on the latest medical research.

The work by Dr Michael Valenzuela, a Research Fellow at the UNSW School of Psychiatry, draws a significant scientific link between "a healthy heart and a healthy brain".

Dr Valenzuela made the finding after bringing together more than 10 years of clinical research, population studies, experimental evidence and biological theory.

"I believe the number one thing that people can do to help prevent dementia is maintain a healthy blood pressure. More than 70 per cent of older Australians have hypertension, so this is a major issue," he says.

It's Never Too Late to Change Your Mind (ABC Books) was launched this week by Alzheimer's Australia NSW and explains what individuals can do to lower their risk for dementia.

For more on this story see the media release.

Media contact: Steve Offner | 02 9385 8107 | s.offner@unsw.edu.au