A new study from Swinburne University has shown that stress may raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
This research helps explain how mental stress can affect physical health.
The study was led by Joe Braun and his team at Swinburne’s MedTech Vic. It was published in the Journal of Neurophysiology.
For the study, the researchers used a new and advanced technique that measured what was happening in the brain, heart, and blood vessels all at once when people experienced mental stress. This approach gave them a closer look at how stress affects the body in real time.
“We’ve long believed that stress can lead to health problems, but we didn’t fully understand how,” Braun said. “Our study confirms this link and helps us better understand how stress leads to changes in the body.”
Using brain scans and direct nerve recordings at Swinburne’s Neuroimaging Facility, the team found a clear pattern. They saw specific areas of the brain become active during stress, and this activity was directly linked to rising blood pressure levels.
Although this is a big step forward, researchers say there’s still a lot we don’t know. For example, they haven’t yet identified the exact pathways in the brain that turn stress into high blood pressure.
Still, this discovery opens the door to new ways of treating people who suffer from both stress and heart problems. By understanding how stress affects the brain and the body, doctors may one day be able to create more personalized treatments.
The findings also remind us that managing stress isn’t just about feeling better emotionally—it’s also important for protecting our physical health, especially the heart and blood vessels.
The study is published in Journal of Neurophysiology.
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