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Brain Connection To Hypertension?

Posted by kdawson on from the under-pressure dept.

The possibility that one cause of high blood pressure lies within the brain, and not the heart or blood vessels, has been put forward by scientists at the University of Bristol, UK. A research group there found a novel role for a protein called JAM-1, located in the walls of blood vessels in the brain. JAM-1 traps white blood cells, which can then cause inflammation and may obstruct blood flow, resulting in poor oxygen supply to the brain. The article notes that the idea that hypertension is an inflammatory vascular disease of the brain is somewhat controversial.

6 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Summary is misleading by Seumas · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't know, but I'm sure we can find a creationist to tell us.

  2. And even more evidence by jandersen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Further research has shown that if you remove a person's brain entirely, his blood pressure drops to zero!! This is clearly conclusive evidence that the main cause of blood pressure is the brain.

    1. Re:And even more evidence by Viceroy+Potatohead · · Score: 2, Funny

      This is well known in the field of Zombology. We know that zombies are not motivated by "evil" or "bloodlust" or any other superstitious nonsense. In actuality, zombies eat brains in order to equalize pressure with their surroundings (I won't bore you with the complex dendrite:millibar relations). We're thinking of just rolling the whole science in with meteorology and taking a long vacation.

  3. Re:Answer this: by Kangburra · · Score: 2, Funny

    If it's a rhetorical question, how come there is a reply to this under it?

    Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Bristol. i.e. Dumbed down for normal people.

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  4. Also by Seoulstriker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or an evolutionist...

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  5. Re:tfa says one cause by plasmacutter · · Score: 2, Funny

    Consider this, my brother-in-law was a mellow dude who did scientific work outdoors in beautiful national parks. He ate healthily and got regular excercise as part of his workday. He had bad hypertension


    i can see the stressors now:

    OMG BEAR! RUN!
    OMG BEES!
    *wakes up* SCORPION ON MY FACE!
    who knows.. maybe even DB cooper fell on his head.
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