Scientists discover a small group of neurons that prevents dangerous rises and drops in blood pressure

A team from the University of Virginia, in the United States, found a small group of neurons that keeps blood pressure stable from one moment to the next.

The study was published this year in the journal Circulation Research and was shared this week on ScienceDaily. It was led by researcher Stephen Abbott.

Where these neurons are

They are in the brainstem, the part of the brain that controls automatic functions such as breathing. They are known as C1 adrenergic neurons.

The scientists studied them in rats that could move freely. These neurons switch on when the animal wakes up, during REM sleep (the stage in which we dream) and when it exercises.

What happens if they are missing

When these neurons were removed, the rats' average blood pressure stayed normal. But when they woke up or moved, blood pressure rose and fell much more than usual.

According to Abbott, losing just a few hundred of these cells is enough to make blood pressure unstable.

Sudden swings in blood pressure can raise the risk of heart disease, stroke and brain damage, even when the average is normal.

Why it matters

Doctors usually look at average blood pressure. This work is a reminder that sudden swings also count.

These same neurons are damaged or missing in multiple system atrophy, a rare disease related to Parkinson's. The authors think their loss could explain the blood pressure problems of those patients, but this has not been proven yet.

Still a long way to go

The study was done in animals and does not offer a new treatment. More research will be needed to know whether controlling these rises and drops improves people's health.