Angry Memories Impact Blood Vessels: New Study Reveals
A recent study discovered that even short bursts of anger triggered by memories can harm our blood vessels’ ability to relax. This finding has serious implications for understanding heart attack and stroke risks.
Negative Emotions
In the past, researchers observed a connection between negative emotions like anger and an increased risk of heart attacks. However, scientists from the American Heart Association aimed to go deeper into how anger affects our blood vessels and the cells lining them.
To do this, they enlisted 280 healthy adults, averaging 26 years old, for a study. Participants were first asked to sit quietly for 30 minutes. Then, researchers measured their blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel dilation using finger probes, and took blood samples. Next, participants were given emotional tasks based on randomly assigned groups.
One group recalled an anger-inducing memory, another recalled an anxiety-inducing memory, the third group read depressing sentences, and the fourth group performed a neutral task of counting. Each task lasted eight minutes.
Measuring the Results
Afterward, measurements were taken at intervals up to 100 minutes. Results showed that participants recalling angry memories experienced impaired blood vessel dilation for up to 40 minutes, a condition linked to atherosclerosis, raising stroke and heart disease risks.
Lead author Daichi Shimbo noted the study’s significance in understanding how anger affects blood vessels and potential interventions for cardiovascular risk.
No Anxiety or Sadness Problems
Interestingly, tasks inducing anxiety or sadness showed no negative impact on blood vessels in this study. However, it’s known that managing depression can reduce heart disease risk.
The study’s limitations include the young, healthy cohort, raising questions about older or medicated groups’ responses. Conducted in a calm lab setting, real-world scenarios’ effects remain uncertain but valuable insights were gained.
Glenn Levine from the AHA emphasized the study’s contribution to understanding how emotions impact cardiovascular health, especially the role of anger in vascular endothelial function, crucial for heart health.
In summary, this study highlights the harmful effects of anger on blood vessels and suggests avenues for managing cardiovascular risks associated with intense emotional states.
Read the Original Article NewAtlas
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