The width of blood vessels in the retina, located at the
back of the eye, may indicate brain health years before the onset of dementia
and other deficits, according to a new study published in Psychological
Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Research shows that younger people who score low on
intelligence tests, such as IQ, tend to be at higher risk for poorer health and
shorter lifespan, but factors like socioeconomic status and health behaviors
don’t fully account for the relationship. Psychological scientist Idan Shalev
of Duke University and colleagues wondered whether intelligence might serve as
a marker indicating the health of the brain, and specifically the health of the
system of blood vessels that provides oxygen and nutrients to the brain.