Stress, Brain, Heart Disease Linked

People with heightened activity in the amygdala, an area of the brain linked to stress, may be at greater risk of heart disease and stroke, scientists said last week in research that could lead to new ways to treat stress-related heart problems. Publishing their work in The Lancet medical journal, researchers said the stress signaled in the amygdala is also linked to increased bone marrow activity and to inflammation in the arteries, which can cause heart attack and stroke, BBC News website reported. Researchers found that those with higher amygdala activity were more likely to have subsequent cardiovascular disease, and more likely to develop problems sooner than those with lower activity.