WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1  — Heart failure is associated with a loss of gray matter in the brain and a decline in mental processes, according to a new study.

They conducted memory and other mental performance tests on 35 heart failure patients, 56 patients with ischemic heart disease (which sometimes but not always accompanies heart failure), and 64 healthy people. MRI exams were used to assess gray matter volume in different parts of the brain.

In heart failure, the heart muscle is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body, while ischemic heart disease affects the supply of blood to the heart.

Heart failure patients had worse immediate and long-term memory and reaction speeds than healthy people. The brain scans showed that heart failure was associated with losses of gray matter in areas believed to be important for memory, reasoning and planning.

According to a 2016 study that was published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, in the United States, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease every 66 seconds.

In total, the study authors note, about 5.4 million adults live with this condition. It is characterized by progressive memory loss and the impairment of other cognitive functions tied to conducting daily activities.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, so treatments focus on managing its symptoms. It is particularly important for people living with this condition to be able to carry out their day-to-day activities for as long as possible, in order to maintain a good quality of life.

A recent clinical trial conducted by specialists at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus tested the efficiency of implants for deep brain stimulation in helping people with Alzheimer’s to keep living independently for longer.