Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a group of nerve cells in the brainstem that help stabilize blood pressure fluctuations. These findings highlight the importance of not only monitoring average blood pressure but also understanding short-term variability, which has been linked to increased risks for heart disease, stroke, and brain injury.
The study suggests that these specific brainstem cells act as a stabilizing system when the body transitions between activities such as sleeping, waking up, standing, or exercising. Loss or dysfunction of these cells has previously been observed in individuals with multiple system atrophy—a rare neurological disorder related to Parkinson's disease that is associated with severe blood pressure problems. The research raises the possibility that similar mechanisms could be responsible for blood pressure instability in other conditions where average readings appear normal.
"Our work emphasizes a new appreciation for how we think about blood pressure problems," Abbott said. "It's not just about lowering the numbers – it's about keeping blood pressure stable from moment to moment."
The findings were published in Circulation Research by a team including George M.P.R. Souza, Harsha Thakkalapally, Faye E. Berry, Leah F. Wisniewski, Ulrich M. Atongazi, Daniel S. Stornetta and Abbott. The researchers reported no financial interest in the study.
Support for this research came from the National Institutes of Health under grant HL148004.
The Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology at UVA is focused on advancing new approaches to understand and treat complex medical conditions by accelerating laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients.
