Thinking problems linked to blockages in carotid artery

April 23, 2014  13:52

Blockage of the carotid artery in the neck appears to increase the odds for memory and thinking problems, a new study indicates.

The researchers said their findings suggest more aggressive treatment might be needed for people with this condition, which is caused by plaque buildup in the artery, WebMD reported.

The study is to be presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting in Philadelphia.

In conducting the study, the researchers examined 67 people with symptomless carotid narrowing, or stenosis. For these participants, the diameter of their artery was cut in half. The study also included 60 people who did not have carotid blockage but did have risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and coronary artery disease.

Researchers tested participants' thinking ability, examining their processing speed, learning, memory, decision-making and language.

They found participants with carotid blockage performed much worse on the thinking tests. They also scored lower on motor and processing speed evaluations as well as learning and memory tests. The researchers said language scores did not differ between the two groups of participants.

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