Mechanisms of cognitive function development in patients having permanent atrial fibrillation

Pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation was studied. The results of the study suggest that 94% patients with chronic atrial fibrillation had cognitive dysfunction associated with injured systolic left ventricular dysfunction which in turn leads to decreased cerebral n perfusion. The improvement of cognitive functions after pacemaker implantation in these patients was related to increased cerebral perfusion as a result of increased cardiac output.