Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition

Hypertension affects more than 40% of adults worldwide and is associated with stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other cardiovascular diseases. It has also been shown to cause severe functional and structural damage to the brain, leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermo...

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Main Authors: Maria LM Rêgo, Daniel AR Cabral, Eduardo C Costa, Eduardo B Fontes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2019-03-01
Series:Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1179546819839411
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spelling doaj-64c379433f4a47c4a4dc1cb11753e42b2020-11-25T03:16:34ZengSAGE PublishingClinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology1179-54682019-03-011310.1177/1179546819839411Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and CognitionMaria LM Rêgo0Daniel AR Cabral1Eduardo C Costa2Eduardo B Fontes3NEUROEX-Research Group in Physical Activity, Cognition and Behavior, Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal/RN, BrazilNEUROEX-Research Group in Physical Activity, Cognition and Behavior, Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal/RN, BrazilGPEACE-Research Group on Acute and Chronic Effects of Exercise, Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal/RN, BrazilNEUROEX-Research Group in Physical Activity, Cognition and Behavior, Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal/RN, BrazilHypertension affects more than 40% of adults worldwide and is associated with stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other cardiovascular diseases. It has also been shown to cause severe functional and structural damage to the brain, leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermore, it is believed that these cognitive impairments affect the mental ability to maintain productivity at work, ultimately causing social and economic problems. Because hypertension is a chronic condition that requires clinical treatment, strategies with fewer side effects and less-invasive procedures are needed. Physical exercise (PE) has proven to be an efficient and complementary tool for hypertension management, and its peripheral benefits have been widely supported by related studies. However, few studies have specifically examined the potential positive effects of PE on the brain in hypertensive individuals. This narrative review discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms that hypertension promotes in the brain, and suggests PE as an important tool to prevent and reduce cognitive damage caused by hypertension. We also provide PE recommendations for hypertensive individuals, as well as suggestions for promoting PE as a method for increasing cognitive abilities in the brain, particularly for hypertensive individuals.https://doi.org/10.1177/1179546819839411
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Maria LM Rêgo
Daniel AR Cabral
Eduardo C Costa
Eduardo B Fontes
spellingShingle Maria LM Rêgo
Daniel AR Cabral
Eduardo C Costa
Eduardo B Fontes
Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology
author_facet Maria LM Rêgo
Daniel AR Cabral
Eduardo C Costa
Eduardo B Fontes
author_sort Maria LM Rêgo
title Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
title_short Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
title_full Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
title_fullStr Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
title_full_unstemmed Physical Exercise for Individuals with Hypertension: It Is Time to Emphasize its Benefits on the Brain and Cognition
title_sort physical exercise for individuals with hypertension: it is time to emphasize its benefits on the brain and cognition
publisher SAGE Publishing
series Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology
issn 1179-5468
publishDate 2019-03-01
description Hypertension affects more than 40% of adults worldwide and is associated with stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other cardiovascular diseases. It has also been shown to cause severe functional and structural damage to the brain, leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermore, it is believed that these cognitive impairments affect the mental ability to maintain productivity at work, ultimately causing social and economic problems. Because hypertension is a chronic condition that requires clinical treatment, strategies with fewer side effects and less-invasive procedures are needed. Physical exercise (PE) has proven to be an efficient and complementary tool for hypertension management, and its peripheral benefits have been widely supported by related studies. However, few studies have specifically examined the potential positive effects of PE on the brain in hypertensive individuals. This narrative review discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms that hypertension promotes in the brain, and suggests PE as an important tool to prevent and reduce cognitive damage caused by hypertension. We also provide PE recommendations for hypertensive individuals, as well as suggestions for promoting PE as a method for increasing cognitive abilities in the brain, particularly for hypertensive individuals.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1179546819839411
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