Too Much Salt: How It Hijacks Your Brain
- A new study from McGill University suggests the brain plays a critical role in driving hypertension, particularly in cases resistant to customary medications.
- Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects approximately two-thirds of people over 60 and contributes to an estimated 10 million deaths globally each year according to the World Health...
- Around one-third of patients do not respond adequately to standard hypertension medications, which typically target blood vessels and kidneys.
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brain’s Role in High Blood Pressure Confirmed by McGill Study
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Published: August 24, 2024, 09:18:11 AM EDT
A new study from McGill University suggests the brain plays a critical role in driving hypertension, particularly in cases resistant to customary medications. The research, published in the journal Neuron, challenges the long-held view that high blood pressure originates primarily in the blood vessels and kidneys.
The Link Between Salt, the Brain, and Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects approximately two-thirds of people over 60 and contributes to an estimated 10 million deaths globally each year according to the World Health Association. Frequently enough, the condition presents no noticeable symptoms, yet significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health complications.
Around one-third of patients do not respond adequately to standard hypertension medications, which typically target blood vessels and kidneys. This new research indicates that the brain may be a key driver of the condition, especially in these treatment-resistant cases.
How a High-Salt Diet Impacts Brain Function
Researchers at McGill University investigated how a high-salt diet affects the brain, mimicking typical modern eating habits. Rats were fed water containing two percent salt – a level comparable to a diet rich in fast food,bacon,instant noodles,and processed cheese.
This high-salt intake activated immune cells, specifically microglia, within a specific region of the brain. This activation triggered inflammation and a subsequent surge in vasopressin, a hormone known to elevate blood pressure.The team utilized advanced brain imaging and laboratory techniques to meticulously track these changes, technologies that have only recently become available.
“The brain’s role in hypertension has largely been overlooked, in part because it’s harder to study,” explained Dr.Prager-Khoutorsky, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Physiology. “But with new techniques,we’re able to see these changes in action.”
Why Rats? The Importance of Translational Research
The researchers chose rats over mice for this study as rats regulate salt and water balance in a manner more similar to humans. This makes the findings more likely to be applicable to human physiology, according to Dr. Prager-Khoutorsky. Studies have shown significant differences in renal sodium handling between rats and mice, impacting the relevance of mouse models for hypertension research.
Future Research and Implications
The scientists are now planning to investigate whether similar mechanisms are involved in other forms of hypertension. Understanding the brain’s contribution to the disease could lead to the advancement of new, more effective treatments targeting the central nervous system.
The study,titled “Microglia regulate neuronal activity via structural remodeling of astrocytes” by Ning Gu et al., was published in Neuron and received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Azrieli Foundation.