Stress affects blood supply to the brain

In acute stress, the blood supply in the brain changes

A recent study has shown that in acute stress, the regulation of blood flow changes in different brain regions. The new findings could potentially help to better assess the individual risk of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Effects on the brain

It has long been known that stress hurts our body. Among other things, scientific research has shown effects on the brain: stress causes the brain to shrink, as US researchers recently reported, leading to aging of the brain, according to another study. German scientists have now discovered that the regulation of blood flow changes in different brain regions under acute stress.

Chronic stress can lead to psychiatric illness

As the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry in Munich writes in a report, various studies with imaging techniques point to a connection between chronic stress and changes in the brain regions that coordinate stress reactions.

While acute stress reactions may serve to adapt the organism, chronic stress can lead to psychiatric illnesses.

To find out what disturbs the balance, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry have investigated the interaction between acute stress and the process that regulates blood flow to specific areas of the brain.

According to the scientists, this so-called neurovascular coupling is precisely matched to the metabolic demand generated by the neuronal activity.

Changes in the regulation of blood flow

The researchers found an indication of changes in the regulation of blood flow in response to acute stress.

As stated in the communication, this could be a mechanism not previously described that contributes to individual differences in the stress response.

This may help determine the individual risk of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

The study was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Changes within a few minutes

As part of the study, 59 subjects completed a standardized test that causes psychosocial stress.

Researchers led by first author Immanuel Elbau used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate changes in the blood flow regulation of the brains of study participants.

It was found that the hemodynamic response (HRF) in various brain regions changed, including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

According to the information, these changes took place within a few minutes; With their help, the later release of stress hormones could be predicted.

Functional adaptation of the brain

Further analysis revealed that genetic differences in expression of KCNJ2, a human analog of a gene that regulates neurovascular coupling under stress in rats, are associated with HRF changes.

"Our results show that acute stress leads to a rapid, fundamental functional adaptation of the brain," said last author Philipp Sämann.

"Individual differences at this level may also affect the risk of developing mismatches and ultimately mental symptoms under chronic stress," the expert said. (Ad)