New Brain Region Linked to High Blood Pressure

Researchers in New Zealand have pinpointed a small, obscure region in the brainstem, known as the lateral parafacial region, as a potential culprit behind high blood pressure. This area controls automatic bodily functions and, in recent studies involving rats, was found to actively trigger nerves that constrict blood vessels. This constriction directly leads to an increase in blood pressure, a condition known as hypertension.

The research team demonstrated this link by manipulating the lateral parafacial region in laboratory rats. When they activated the nerves within this region, blood pressure significantly rose, accompanied by forced exhalations. However, upon inhibiting the same neural pathways, blood pressure returned to normal levels, offering a novel insight into hypertension's origins.