A new study has found that eating too much salt may trigger inflammation in the brain that can raise your blood pressure.
This surprising discovery suggests that the brain—not just the kidneys or blood vessels—may play a major role in certain kinds of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
The research was led by Masha Prager-Khoutorsky from McGill University, working with scientists from McGill and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center.
It was published in the journal Neuron.
For years, experts believed that hypertension started mainly in the kidneys or blood vessels. Most medications to treat it focus on these areas.
But this new research points to the brain as another key player, especially in people who don’t respond well to standard treatments.
High blood pressure is a common condition, especially in older adults. About two-thirds of people over the age of 60 have it, and it leads to around 10 million deaths worldwide every year. Often, it doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms, but it raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious problems.
In this study, researchers wanted to see how a high-salt diet affects the brain. They used rats, which process salt and water in a way similar to humans. The rats were given water with 2% salt, which is like a human eating a lot of salty foods every day—such as bacon, instant noodles, and processed cheese.
The results were striking. The salty diet activated immune cells in a specific part of the brain, causing inflammation. This brain inflammation led to a rise in the hormone vasopressin, which tells the body to hold on to water and tightens blood vessels—both of which can increase blood pressure.
The team used advanced imaging and lab tools to see what was happening in the brain. These methods allowed them to watch brain changes that couldn’t be seen in the past.
According to Prager-Khoutorsky, the brain’s role in high blood pressure has been ignored for a long time because it’s hard to study. But now, with new technology, scientists are able to see how the brain responds to salt intake in real time.
One important reason the researchers chose rats instead of mice is that rats’ bodies handle salt and water more like humans do. This means the findings are more likely to be true for people, too.
The next step for the team is to look at whether the same brain processes happen in other types of high blood pressure.
This study could lead to new kinds of treatments that target the brain instead of just the kidneys or blood vessels. If scientists can figure out how to stop the brain from reacting badly to salt, it might help people whose high blood pressure doesn’t get better with current medications.
In the meantime, cutting back on salty foods could be a smart move—not just for your heart and kidneys, but for your brain, too.
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