Scientists have linked hypertension to the activity of the brain's respiratory center

One reason for high blood pressure may be activity in the part of the brain that controls breathing. Scientists have found that in case of hypertension, it can send signals that cause vasoconstriction and an increase in pressure. The study results were published in the journal Circulation Research (CR).

The researchers studied an area of ​​the brain called the lateral parafacial area (pFL). It is usually involved in controlling breathing, such as during exercise, coughing or laughing. However, experiments on rats have shown that in hypertension, its neurons can also affect blood vessels.

When scientists activated these cells, the work of the sympathetic nervous system increased, the blood vessels narrowed, and the pressure increased. When activity in the same region was suppressed in hypertensive rats, blood pressure returned to normal.

According to the researchers, the discovery may also explain why sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. When breathing stops, oxygen levels decrease and carbon dioxide levels increase, which can activate the discovered mechanism.

Now scientists want to find a way to influence it without intervening directly in the brain.