Scientists at the University of Auckland and the University of São Paulo have identified a brain region that triggers high blood pressure. According to a report by ScienceAlert on a study published in the journal Cardiovascular Research, the lateral parafacial region of the brain can initiate biological changes that elevate arterial pressure.
The finding offers a potential explanation for why an estimated 40 percent of people with hypertension fail to control their blood pressure despite taking medication.
The lateral parafacial region, known as pFL, is primarily responsible for controlling active exhalations during physical exertion, coughing, or laughing. However, tests conducted on rats revealed that the area can also signal blood vessels to constrict.
Hypertension is a chronic medical condition where the pressure of blood against artery walls remains consistently elevated. Over time, unmanaged high blood pressure increases the risk of serious health complications, including heart disease and strokes.
Brainstem activity mapped in rats
During the study, researchers activated pFL neurons in animal models and mapped the resulting activity across the brainstem and nervous system. They compared these readings directly against control rats without hypertension.
The results showed that in hypertensive rats, pFL neurons performed their usual role in breathing while simultaneously narrowing blood vessels. Julian Paton, a physiologist at the University of Auckland, said the lateral parafacial region activates during high blood pressure, adding that blood pressure dropped to normal levels when his team deactivated the area.
The University of Auckland in New Zealand and the University of São Paulo in Brazil are prominent public research universities. The brainstem is the lower region of the brain that connects to the spinal cord, regulating vital involuntary processes such as breathing and cardiovascular control.
Vitamin B6 compound lowers pressure
Following the discovery, the researchers began investigating how pharmaceutical treatments could target pFL neurons specifically without disturbing other neural functions, reporting that they have already made progress.
The study showed that pyridoxal-5-phosphate, the active form of vitamin B6, blocks the P2X3 receptor. This receptor becomes hyperactive in the carotid bodies of people with high blood pressure, strengthening nerve signals that drive pressure upward.
When researchers administered the compound to hypertensive rats, it blocked the P2X3 receptor and reduced their blood pressure by an average of nearly 16 mmHg.
Carotid bodies are tiny sensory organs near the neck arteries that monitor blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate is an essential nutrient derivative used by the human body for amino acid metabolism and nerve signal transmission.
Researchers emphasized that the study used only animal models, noting that while it is probable that the same neural network operates in humans, further research is required to confirm the mechanism in people.
