You may already be aware that high blood pressure (hypertension) may endanger your heart health, but were you aware that it can also affect your cognition?

A new study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences found that people with chronic hypertension were more likely to perform poorly on cognitive tests when they experienced a spike in high blood pressure.

Lead researcher Professor Jason Allaire said that the scientists had not determined whether blood pressure was a cause of thinking problems or simply a marker for other symptoms that may result in cognitive impairment.

However, he suggested that people may consider the results another reason to watch their blood pressure.

“This findings suggests that if you have high blood pressure that is not controlled, your cognitive abilities are going to decline faster as you get older,” Allaire commented.

Some people may find they can lower their blood pressure by changing their diet or lifestyle, while other choose to take nutritional supplements that can help combat hypertension, such as oral chelation.