Broken Heart? Look to the Brain

Scientists have shown for the first time that the brain is involved in the development of a heart condition called Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). They found that regions of the brain responsible for processing emotions and controlling the unconscious workings of the body, such as heart beat, breathing and digestion, do not communicate with each other as well in TTS patients as in healthy people. The study is published in the European Heart Journal and the researchers say that although, at this stage, they cannot show that the reduced brain functions definitely cause TTS, their findings suggest that these alterations in the central nervous system may be part of the mechanism involved and they are linked with the onset of TTS in response to stressful or emotional triggers. TTS is known as “broken heart” syndrome and is characterised by a sudden temporary weakening of the heart muscles that causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out at the bottom while the neck remains narrow, creating a shape resembling a Japanese octopus trap, from which it gets its name. Since this relatively rare condition was first described in 1990, evidence has suggested that it is typically triggered by episodes of severe emotional distress, such as grief, anger or fear, or reactions to happy or joyful events. Patients develop chest pains and breathlessness, and it can lead to heart attacks and death. TTS is more common in women with only 10% of cases occurring in men. TTS affects less than 3% of people who suffer a heart attack and tends to occur between the ages of 60-75. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/broken-heart-look-to-the-brain-316289?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=70470040&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8g1OgpvsmfReU8hKic7yRcPxOWpjqE-F7Zil__lAB-X87ttFQJtQ4AaQQXwpsK-_gOlytcPF6XEg7PAKISON0NLgpgeA&_hsmi=70470040