Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Blame This Brain Region Behind Laughing, Coughing For Your Hypertension

While salt, cholesterol, and obesity are major factors driving high blood pressure, a recent study suggests they may not be the only causes.

Researchers from Brazil and New Zealand have identified a brain region that may increase the risk of <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/hypertension">hypertension</a>. The study, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed that the brain region called the lateral parafacial region is the culprit.

The lateral parafacial region sits in the brainstem – the oldest part of the brain – which controls automatic functions such as digestion, breathing, and heart rate. 

“The lateral parafacial region is recruited into action, causing us to exhale during a laugh, exercise, or coughing,” said lead researcher Professor Julian Paton, from the Centre for Heart Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

“These exhalations are what we call ‘forced’ and are driven by our powerful abdominal muscles. In contrast, a normal exhalation does not need these muscles to contract; it happens because the lungs are elastic,” Paton added.

<h2>Can Breathing Patterns Signal Hypertension? </h2>

Paton and the team found that the lateral parafacial region also connects to nerves that tighten blood vessels -- a mechanism that raises blood pressure. 

“We’ve unearthed a new region of the brain that is causing high blood pressure. Yes, the brain is to blame for hypertension!” Paton said. 

“We discovered that, in conditions of high blood pressure, the lateral parafacial region is activated and, when our team inactivated this region, blood pressure fell to normal levels.” 

The team explained that this means changes in breathing patterns – especially those involving strong abdominal muscle contractions – can trigger high blood pressure. Thus, any diagnosis of abdominal breathing in patients with high blood pressure may reveal the cause and hence direct appropriate treatment. 

<h2>Can The Brain Region Help Treat Hypertension </h2>

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The next question was whether the brainstem region could be treated with a medication. 

“Targeting the brain with drugs is tricky because they act on the entire brain and not a selected region such as the parafacial nucleus,” Paton said. 

The researchers then discovered that this region is activated by signals from outside the brain – from the carotid bodies, tiny clusters of cells in the neck near the carotid artery that sense oxygen levels in the blood. 

These can be targeted safely with medication, they said. 

“Our goal is to target the carotid bodies, and we are importing a new drug that is being repurposed by us to quench carotid body activity and inactivate ‘remotely’ the lateral parafacial region safely, i.e., without needing to use a drug that penetrates the brain.” 

This finding could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure, especially for people who also have sleep apnea, as we know carotid bodies are activated in these patients when they stop breathing at night. 

Hypertension is commonly referred to as the "silent killer" due to its lack of noticeable symptoms. Unchecked, it progressively damages your arteries and vital organs.

It occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels is consistently higher than normal—usually 140/90 mmHg or more, states the World Health Organization (WHO). The normal and healthy level is estimated to be 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure increases when the arteries get narrow or stiff, causing the heart to work harder.

At a global level, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years have hypertension, and most of them live in low- and middle-income nations. Alarmingly, 46 percent of them do not even know they have it, and just 1 in 5 keeps it under control, as per WHO statistics. 

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/former-us-senator-ben-sasse-opens-up-about-battle-with-terminal-stage-4-pancreatic-cancer-article-154042531" data-type="tilCustomLink">Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer</a>

In the US alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 47 percent of adults, or roughly 116 million individuals, have hypertension, yet only 24 percent control it well. The economic burden is just as overwhelming, with the US spending $131 billion each year on care related to hypertension. 

Exercise, lifestyle changes, and diet are key to preventing hypertension 

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While salt, cholesterol, and obesity are major factors driving high blood pressure, a recent study suggests they may not be the only causes. Researchers from Brazil and New Zealand have identified a brain region that may increase the risk of hypertension. The study, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed that the brain region called the lateral parafacial region is the culprit. The lateral parafacial region sits in the brainstem – the oldest part of the brain – which controls automatic functions such as digestion, breathing, and heart rate.  “The lateral parafacial region is recruited into action, causing us to exhale during a laugh, exercise, or coughing,” said lead researcher Professor Julian Paton, from the Centre for Heart Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.  “These exhalations are what we call ‘forced’ and are driven by our powerful abdominal muscles. In contrast, a normal exhalation does not need these muscles to contract; it happens because the lungs are elastic,” Paton added.  Can Breathing Patterns Signal Hypertension?  Paton and the team found that the lateral parafacial region also connects to nerves that tighten blood vessels -- a mechanism that raises blood pressure.  “We’ve unearthed a new region of the brain that is causing high blood pressure. Yes, the brain is to blame for hypertension!” Paton said.  “We discovered that, in conditions of high blood pressure, the lateral parafacial region is activated and, when our team inactivated this region, blood pressure fell to normal levels.”  The team explained that this means changes in breathing patterns – especially those involving strong abdominal muscle contractions – can trigger high blood pressure. Thus, any diagnosis of abdominal breathing in patients with high blood pressure may reveal the cause and hence direct appropriate treatment.  Can The Brain Region Help Treat Hypertension     The next question was whether the brainstem region could be treated with a medication.  “Targeting the brain with drugs is tricky because they act on the entire brain and not a selected region such as the parafacial nucleus,” Paton said.  The researchers then discovered that this region is activated by signals from outside the brain – from the carotid bodies, tiny clusters of cells in the neck near the carotid artery that sense oxygen levels in the blood.  These can be targeted safely with medication, they said.  “Our goal is to target the carotid bodies, and we are importing a new drug that is being repurposed by us to quench carotid body activity and inactivate ‘remotely’ the lateral parafacial region safely, i.e., without needing to use a drug that penetrates the brain.”  This finding could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure, especially for people who also have sleep apnea, as we know carotid bodies are activated in these patients when they stop breathing at night.  Global Burden Of Hypertension  Hypertension is commonly referred to as the "silent killer" due to its lack of noticeable symptoms. Unchecked, it progressively damages your arteries and vital organs.It occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels is consistently higher than normal—usually 140/90 mmHg or more, states the World Health Organization (WHO). The normal and healthy level is estimated to be 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure increases when the arteries get narrow or stiff, causing the heart to work harder.  At a global level, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years have hypertension, and most of them live in low- and middle-income nations. Alarmingly, 46 percent of them do not even know they have it, and just 1 in 5 keeps it under control, as per WHO statistics.  Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic CancerIn the US alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 47 percent of adults, or roughly 116 million individuals, have hypertension, yet only 24 percent control it well. The economic burden is just as overwhelming, with the US spending $131 billion each year on care related to hypertension.  Exercise, lifestyle changes, and diet are key to preventing hypertension 

blame this brain region behind laughing, coughing for your hypertension

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