Published in JAMA, research from the University of Minnesota assessed if there is a link between heart health and dementia. Using echocardiography—visual ultrasound of the heart—the research team was able to identify novel measures that are linked to a higher dementia risk. "Atrial myopathy, a condition characterized by abnormal left atrial function and size, is an independent risk factor for dementia," said Dr. Lin Yee Chen, and principal investigator. "In this community-based cohort study, lower left atrial function was associated with higher risk of dementia." The study observed a cohort of 4,096 participants with an average age of 35 years....