Health
Brain health warning sign could be hiding in plain sight, say researchers
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A new study from the University of Southern California suggests that the way blood pressure fluctuates from one heartbeat to the next may be just as important as the overall blood pressure reading — especially when it comes to brain health in aging adults.
Researchers found that older adults who experienced greater beat-to-beat changes in blood pressure had smaller brain volumes in areas tied to memory, and higher levels of a protein linked to nerve-cell injury.
“Even when blood pressure is well-controlled with medication, the rapid fluctuation in blood pressure from heartbeat to heartbeat is associated with worse memory and signs of brain shrinkage and brain cell injury,” USC Professor Daniel Nation, senior author of the study, told Fox News Digital.
The study linked rapid blood pressure shifts to smaller memory-related brain regions in older adults. (iStock)
“Blood pressure isn’t static; it’s always adapting to the body’s needs,” he added in a press release. “But as we age, that regulation can become less precise.”
The study included 105 adults between the ages of 55 and 89. The researchers measured the participants’ blood pressure continuously for several minutes while they underwent brain scans.
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In particular, they measured the stiffness of the adults’ arteries and how much their blood pressure changed between heartbeats.
Even when participants’ average blood pressure seemed healthy, those with the most erratic readings — combined with stiffer arteries — showed telltale signs of brain aging, the study found.
People with erratic readings had smaller hippocampal and entorhinal cortex regions, which are among the first areas of the brain affected in Alzheimer’s disease. (iStock)
Specifically, they had smaller hippocampal and entorhinal cortex regions, which are among the first areas of the brain affected in Alzheimer’s disease. They also had higher blood levels of neurofilament light, a biomarker of nerve-cell damage.
These findings were described as significant even after taking into account factors like age, sex and average blood pressure — suggesting that the fluctuations themselves, and not just overall pressure, may be a key risk factor.
The findings were first published online in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease on Oct. 17.
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For years, doctors have warned that high blood pressure raises dementia risk, but the USC study explores specifically how moment-to-moment instability can be a cause for concern.
Nation said the researchers were surprised to find that these rapid fluctuations in blood pressure were linked to brain injury, “regardless of whether they have hypertension or are treated with blood pressure-lowering medications.”
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In other words, someone could have “good” readings at the doctor’s office and still have dangerous spikes and dips that quietly stress the brain’s delicate blood vessels, the research suggests. Over time, that instability could contribute to memory decline and neurodegeneration.
Even well-controlled blood pressure may not protect against brain changes if readings fluctuate too much, the study suggests. (iStock)
The researchers emphasized, however, that this study only shows correlation and does not prove causation, and that more research is needed.
“The findings are correlations in a cross-sectional study, which is like a snapshot in time,” Nation said. “Future studies should examine how these rapid blood pressure fluctuations change over time and whether they predict future brain shrinkage, brain cell injury and memory decline.”
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The team says there are currently no treatments specifically for these fluctuations.
“But it remains very important that people monitor their blood pressure and take blood pressure-lowering medications as prescribed in order to reduce their risk for brain injury and memory decline,” Nation said.
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“Development of therapies to address rapid blood pressure fluctuations should be a priority, since these rapid fluctuations are not fully addressed by existing treatments that focus on lowering average blood pressure,” he added.
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Just four minutes of daily strength exercises can dramatically improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, per new research from the Penn State College of Medicine.
Standard public health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. However, the study suggests that fewer than one in five older adults meet the recommended muscle-strengthening guidelines.
The research team designed a home-based program called Functional Activity Strength Training, or FAST-2. They evaluated 97 sedentary participants 65 and older, with an average age of 74.
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Before entering the study, these individuals were averaging just 18 minutes of total physical activity each week.
The older adults were randomly split into two groups, with one group performing the daily exercise routine and the other serving as a control group that received no intervention, according to the study’s press release.
Just four minutes of daily home strength training can significantly improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, according to a Penn State College of Medicine study. (iStock)
Participants performed four basic movements for 30 seconds each, separated by 30-second rest intervals. The entire routine lasted exactly four minutes. The circuit consisted of push-ups, chair stands, two-arm resistance-band rows and stair stepping.
To keep the routine accessible, researchers provided written explanations and simple modifications. For example, participants could perform push-ups against a kitchen counter or wall, or use their hands on their knees for support during chair stands.
Participants were also given four elastic resistance bands and an adjustable step platform.
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“Exercise is actually really complicated, because you have to decide how many repetitions, how far, how many sets, how much rest and how many times per week,” co-author Smita Dandekar, associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, said in the press release.
“It’s hard work … so if we can make it short, we’re part [of the] way there.”
The program consisted of four basic movements: push-ups, chair stands, resistance-band rows and stair stepping. (iStock)
As the participants grew stronger, they were encouraged to progress to higher levels of difficulty, such as transitioning away from modifications or increasing the height of the stepper.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits. In a 30-second chair-stand test, the exercise group performed an average of 4.2 more repetitions than the control group.
“These indicators … give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
The adults doing the exercises also shaved 2.3 seconds off their time during a test measuring how they could stand up and sit down five times consecutively. Furthermore, they extended their one-legged balance time by an average of 3.6 seconds.
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The researchers emphasized that these specific measurements are critical medical indicators of an older adult’s future health.
By keeping the routine ultra-short, researchers eliminated common barriers like time constraints and exhaustion, resulting in an exceptionally high 81% workout completion rate. (iStock)
“These indicators predict your future ability to go into a nursing home, your future likelihood of falling and of developing difficulty walking,” noted lead author Christopher Sciamanna, professor of medicine and of public health at Penn State College of Medicine, in the press release.
“They give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
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While traditional home exercise programs generally see low engagement, the participants in this study successfully completed their workouts on 81% of the tracked days, according to the researchers.
After 12 weeks, exercising seniors gained the ability to complete an average of four more chair-stand repetitions than those who did not exercise. (iStock)
The study had several noted limitations. As it tracked a relatively small sample size of fewer than 100 individuals over a brief 12-week time frame, it is unknown whether these mobility gains can be sustained long-term.
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Additionally, the researchers did not specify the exact dropout rates or detail how the routine might affect seniors who already relied on assistive devices like walkers or canes.
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Because the final trial results reflected a specific group of participants who met the entry criteria, further investigation is required to determine whether the short routine can safely benefit older adults facing more severe physical limitations or cognitive decline.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
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Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy, has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The popular “mommy blogger” had been fighting the disease for the past two years, according to an announcement posted on ScaryMommy.com on Monday.
The stay-at-home mother of three launched the blog in 2008 as a place to share the “joys and pitfalls” of parenting, according to the article.
As Scary Mommy expanded from a personal blog into a major parenting brand, Smokler built a following with her honest, often self-deprecating take on motherhood. She went on to speak at blogging conferences, author bestselling books, appear on national television programs and earn three Webby Awards, her biography states.
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“Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone,” her family shared in a statement following her passing.
Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy (pictured in 2018), has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock)
“She was funny, fearless, generous and entirely herself. More than anything she built, Jill was proudest of her three children, Lily, Ben and Evan. We are heartbroken to lose her, and endlessly proud of the mark she left on the world.”
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Smokler’s first sign of the disease was in April 2024, when she experienced a sudden seizure. She then underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, after which she didn’t recognize her own children, she previously shared with Today.
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“I am definitely grateful that I don’t remember the looks on their faces when I didn’t recognize them,” she said. “That must have been gutting.”
Smokler was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. There is currently no cure.
About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. (iStock)
Following surgery, the blogger underwent radiation and chemotherapy, during which she was open about her treatment side effects, including fatigue and hair loss. Additional surgeries and clinical trials followed, according to previous interviews.
“Thank you, Jill, for everything. May you rest in peace,” the Scary Mommy post concluded.
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About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. More than 12,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
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Median survival is approximately 12 to 18 months after diagnosis, even with treatment. Only about 5% to 7% of patients survive five years after diagnosis, data shows.
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