Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known to have a direct impact on heart attack and stroke risk — but a new study has revealed its surprising link to brain health.

In a large, randomized trial, researchers led by First Hospital of China Medical University discovered that "intensive blood pressure control" resulted in a 15% reduced dementia risk among participants and a 16% reduced risk of cognitive impairment.

The study included 33,995 people in rural China aged 40 or older who had "uncontrolled hypertension."

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