HealthDay (5/13, Preidt) reports that a study published in Biological Psychiatry in which “the brain activity of more than 150 healthy adults was monitored while they tried to regulate their emotional reactions to unpleasant pictures.” In addition they were monitored for atherosclerosis, interleukin-6 levels.
The study found that “participants who had greater brain activity when trying to control their negative emotions also had higher levels of interleukin-6 and more signs of atherosclerosis.” Lead author Peter Gianaros, an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, summed the findings up as supporting “the popular belief that emotions are connected to heart health,” adding, “We think that the mechanistic basis for this connection may lie in the functioning of brain regions important for regulating both emotion and inflammation.”
Related Links:
— “Researchers Shed Light on Link Between Stress, Heart Trouble,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, May 13, 2014.