Summary: The researchers found that high blood pressure, depression, and brain activity related to emotion were linked to the development of high blood pressure.
source: Max Planck Institute
Our mental health and our cardiovascular system have complex interactions.
A recent study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig, Germany, shows that high blood pressure is associated with depressive symptoms, well-being and possibly the development of high blood pressure.
Several studies have reported a link between mental health and high blood pressure, with mixed or even conflicting results.
In their study, researchers from MPI CBS have now conducted an in-depth analysis of the relationship between mental health, high blood pressure and high blood pressure in the mid-60s, using extensive psychological, medical and imaging data from an older population.
“To get a statistically robust answer, we used the very large sample size of the UK Biobank, with more than 500,000 study participants. We were able to show that higher blood pressure was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, better well-being and lower emotion-related brain activity—this was surprising at first, but could be explained by our other findings,” first author Lina Schaare reports on the study.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that the threat of high blood pressure (hypertension) was associated with poorer mental health, even years before hypertension was diagnosed.
“In the clinic, we observed that those affected often felt tired and fatigued, and then did not take antihypertensive drugs, as this would also affect their mood,” explains Arno Villringer, Head of the Department of Neurology at MPI CBS, author of the study The last author of .
“On the other hand, we suspect that for those individuals who are mentally well but have temporarily elevated blood pressure, reinforcement learning will eventually lead to the development of permanent hypertension.
This is because pain thresholds also rise with blood pressure. This applies not only to physical pain, but also to social pain or greater stress. So they endure the pain or the stress, and then a decade later they’re diagnosed with high blood pressure. “
The researchers believe the findings lay the groundwork for rethinking the link between mental health and the causes of hypertension.
For widespread diseases such as depression and high blood pressure, this conceptual shift could lead to new treatments and prevention approaches that focus on the interplay between physical and mental health.
News about this psychology research
author: News office
source: Max Planck Institute
touch: Press Office – Max Planck Institute
image: This image is in the public domain
Original research: open access.
“Association between mental health, blood pressure, and development of hypertension” by H. Lina Schaare et al. natural communication
Abstract
Association between mental health, blood pressure and development of hypertension
Multiple studies have reported a link between mental health and high blood pressure, but with conflicting and even conflicting results. Here, we resolve these contradictions and further dissect the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between mental health, systolic blood pressure, and hypertension using extensive psychological, medical, and neuroimaging data from the UK Biobank.
We show that higher systolic blood pressure is associated with fewer depressive symptoms, better well-being and lower mood-related brain activity. Interestingly, impending hypertension was associated with poorer mental health years before HTN was diagnosed. Furthermore, a stronger baseline association between systolic blood pressure and better mental health was observed among individuals who subsequently developed hypertension.
Collectively, our findings provide insights into the complex relationship between mental health, blood pressure, and hypertension, suggesting that the association between higher blood pressure and better mental health may be possible through baroreceptor mechanisms and reinforcement learning. eventually lead to the occurrence of high blood pressure.
