An active amygdala — the region of the brain that kicks into gear when you’re stressed out — may be linked to an increased risk for heart disease and stroke, according to a new study in The Lancet.
Researchers scanned the brains of 293 people with existing heart problems, and found a link between brain and bone marrow activity as well as artery inflammation. In animal models, these three areas — the brain, bone marrow and arteries — were linked, where stress triggered the amygdala, and in turn, activated bone marrow and artery inflammation.
The process appears similar for humans: the study found that people with more active amygdalae — as in, more stressed out — suffered from heart attacks and strokes sooner than subjects with less active amygdalae.
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Originally published at medium.com