Smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity each linked to unhealthy brains

(European Society of Cardiology) Factors that influence the health of our blood vessels, such as smoking, high blood and pulse pressures, obesity and diabetes, are linked to less healthy brains, according to research published in the European Heart Journal. The strongest links are with areas of the brain known to be responsible for our more complex thinking skills, and which deteriorate during the development of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.