Having a heart attack accelerate risk of cognitive decline in late age, above and beyond what is considered appropriate for the aging mind, according to a recent study.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from six major studies on heart disease and cognition. None of the 30,465 people chosen for those studies had dementia or experienced a heart attack or stroke before the study started, and all underwent at least one cognitive assessment.

During the course of the research, however, over 1,000 of the participants had an acute myocardial infarction, or heart attack. No immediate change in cognition was seen, but the cognitive scores of those who had a heart attack accelerated over the next six or so years at a much steeper rate than that of their peers who did not have a heart attack.

Source: Oman News Agency