Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension often present neuropsychological symptoms, which suggest central nervous system involvement. A study conducted on rats with experimentally induced pulmonary arterial hypertension, recently published on Nature Scientific Reports showed reduced exploratory activity and cognitive impairment, alongside neuroinflammation in the cortex and hippocampus, disruption of the blood-brain barrier and elevated inflammatory markers.
According to the authors of the study these findings demonstrate that experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension induces early neuro-inflammatory responses and cognitive dysfunction, which supports the concept that the condition extends beyond the cardiopulmonary system to affect brain structure and memory.
Read more at this link on Nature Scientific Reports
Citation
Barbosa, V.M., Santos, R.T., dos Santos de Assumpção, L. et al. Neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and cognitive decline in pulmonary arterial hypertension: an experimental study. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44104-4