People who react slowly and possess bad memories are more prone to heart diseases according to an extensive study.
People who react slowly and possess bad memories are more prone to heart diseases according to an extensive study. A finding by Dr.Beverly Shipley, aged 28, from the Psychology dept., Edinburgh University, reveals a possible link between poor memory and heart attacks
She surveyed the mental agility of nearly 6,400 people, aged between 18 and 99, from all over Britain.She says that those with slower reaction times, poor memory and poor visual-spatial perception had a greater chance of developing a cardiovascular disease. 'One of the surprising outcomes of the study was that younger and older adults exhibited the same link between cognition and heart disease mortality, but the reasons for this are not clear,' she added.
The 21-year-long study comprised of participants first tested in 1984-85 and observed up to 2005.About 1,550 members of the group died by the end of 2005.
Even after considering other factors generally associated with heart disease, such as smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, BMI and obesity, it was seen that longer reaction times and higher death rates were somehow linked.
The results indicated that subjects with lower than average mental agility showed a ten percent greater chance of developing vascular disease.,. The researcher suggests that a faster human reaction time might be an indicator of a body with better 'system integrity' and vice-versa.
Source-Medindia
PRI/ASH/L
