Effects of Cardiac Abnormalities on the Brain, Revealed by Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Genetics

The heart is the central organ of the human circulatory system. Both congenital and acquired structural changes in the heart can lead to hemodynamic alterations affecting the function of various organs, including the brain. Recent advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided further evidence of the heart’s influence on the brain. Investigating this connection is crucial for understanding the pathological mechanisms through which cardiac abnormalities contribute to brain-related diseases, and providing additional support for the heart-brain axis theory. Herein, the correlation between heart disease and brain structural changes and complications, determined through brain MRI, is discussed, and the key genes involved in these processes are summarized, to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying heart-brain diseases. These insights may provide a basis for screening and intervening in patients with neurological complications arising from cardiac conditions.