A new study found that those who underwent procedures to narrow the neck's carotid artery showed a decline in their overall memory performance, despite any absence of symptoms.
Researchers from the Baltimore VA Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine led by associate professor Brajesh K. Lal recruited 67 participants diagnosed with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS), then brought on 60 people who were at risk of, but not yet diagnosed with, the condition. Risk factors included smoking, hypertension, obesity, and genes.
ACS is known as a risk factor to stroke because it could lead to sudden bleeding in the brain; most doctors recommend narrowing the carotid artery to lessen the chances of this issue occurring. An earlier study claimed that the surgery could reduce the risk by one percent.
The carotid artery is responsible for supplying oxygen to most part of the brain which is linked to thinking, speech, personality, sensory and motor functions. Stroke happens when fatty buildups occur thus narrowing the arteries and decreasing the oxygen supply.
The researchers assessed the participants by giving them tests designed to measure their overall mental performance, including speed, learning, memory, decision-making and speech.
After tabulating the results of the assessments, they found out that those diagnosed with ACS who underwent a 50 percent reduction in the diameter of the artery performed poorer than the other group - especially when it came to speed, learning, and memory. Speech scores on both groups were the same.
"If these findings are confirmed in larger studies, they hold significant implications for new treatment targets and open the door for more questions such as: should these patients be treated more aggressively with medications, cognitive rehabilitation, or even surgery to open up the artery?" Lal said in a news release.
Results of the study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, which will be held from April 26 to May 3, 2014.
