New research indicates that there is likely a relationship between heart health and brain health. The extent of this relationship isn’t fully understood, but there is reason to believe that treating the heart might help improve the brain’s overall health.
A heartbeat takes about 0.8 of a second. During this time, there are changes that occur in the brain. The heart contracts and then relaxes. There are changes that occur in the motor system and the ability to respond to stimulation. Researchers believe that this timing and the changes that occur in the brain could have an impact on how different conditions are treated, ranging from stroke, to depression, and more.
This builds upon past information that shows that heart activity impacts vision, hearing, and touch. However, this new research indicates that there are times where the brain is impacted more heavily than during others.
In some ways, this knowledge is already being put to use. A treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation is being used to treat things like depression and assist with stroke recovery by delivering brief pulses to the brain. This research indicates that this could be fine tuned for better results.
New research may provide greater understanding of the relationship between the brain and the heart, and reveal more effective treatments down the road.
Obviously, taking action during this 0.8 of a second is not an easy thing to do. It is a very small window and requires extensive technology in order to tailor any sort of treatment to be effective during this timeframe. There’s a lot more research that needs to be done here in order for this kind of treatment to become effective and available on a widespread basis. This seems to be a big step in the right direction, though.
This research was published in the journal, PLOS Biology. The team’s hope is that this research can pay dividends down the road when it comes to others that are facing issues of heart health. By creating awareness now, better treatment methods
Care for seniors can be complicated. Research like this helps doctors to understand how best to help the elderly a little bit better, but at the end of the day, there’s not a huge immediate impact on the lives of people who need assistance now.
That’s where professional senior care can help. Senior care generally, and in-home care specifically, is designed to help elderly folk that are struggling with day to day activities get some of their life back. The right care can help to ease the stress of these tasks and ensure that people get through their days safely. Whether it’s ensuring that meals are prepared, medications are administered correctly, or that someone is able to get around their house without a risk of falling or injury, care makes life easier so that the person in need and their family can focus on the things that are most important to them.
We’d love to talk more about how Paradise In-Home Care can help you. We offer free consultation sessions designed to answer these kinds of questions and get you pointed in the right direction. Please reach out and schedule your conversation today.
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