In 90-95 per cent of people, high blood pressure has no identifiable cause, yet it is a risk factor for diseases of the brain, kidneys, heart, eyes and other parts of the body.
Although a lot is known about how blood pressure is regulated, its cause is still a mystery.
Researchers from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Russia studied physiological changes in a rat model with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension (ISIAH).
These rats develop high blood pressure at four to six weeks of age, and this is sustained throughout their lifetime.
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They also noted changes in brain activity, specifically a decrease in the prefrontal cortex and an increase in the hypothalamus that did not occur in the group of rats with normal blood pressure.
This demonstrates a link between hypertension and changes in brain activity and blood flow. The researchers suggest that hypertension could be caused by these changes taking place early in life.
A clearer understanding of this process could help us prevent this condition.
The study was published in the journal Experimental Physiology.
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