It’s not a new idea that stress can have possible physical side effects, though just exactly how has always been somewhat of a mystery, though not any more thanks to a new study. By using brain scans scientists are able to show how stress might cause heart attacks: people whose fear centers are more active also have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
The findings of the study point to what is often referred to as the fear center in the brain or the amygdala. But the nut-sized pair of structures are linked with various forms of stress, not just fear. The brain itself is what perceives a stressful event to be well stressful so it makes sense that it relays this information on to the body.
After the completion of the study, it was concluded that people whose amygdalas seemed more active during brain scans were more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or other serious heart event over the next three to four years, the team of researchers found.
Not only that, but those with more active amygdalas had more inflammation in their arteries – something that’s clearly linked with heart disease -and bone marrow activity that may be linked with blood clots. In the end the effects of stress on the heart and body are shown to be very clear.
“While we’ve known for years that stress plays a role in cardiovascular disease, it’s been difficult to quantify ‘stress,’ a relatively subjective feeling, for research purposes,” said Dr. Jennifer Haythe, co-director of the Women’s Center for Cardiovascular Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
This study, Haythe said, “highlights the interplay between the brain and the heart – a relationship we know exists, but the details of which remain mysterious.” And so the research will continue, but as a whole it looks as if plainly, stress is just not good for you.
