by Amanda Head, Georgia State University

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Every year, heart disease claims the lives of more Americans than any other health condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the key risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure. New research by two Georgia State University professors published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that relieving psychological stress by targeting specific neurons in the brain can lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety.

“In humans, there’s a strong link between stressful life events and the development of high blood pressure and heart disease,” said Eric Krause, a professor with the Neuroscience Institute and a core member of the Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases (CNCD).

Krause and Annette de Kloet, an associate professor of neuroscience, worked with CNCD research staff to study brain cells in mice. They wanted to test whether activating certain brain cells with special proteins known as angiotensin type 2 receptors (AT2R) in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) would affect blood pressure and anxiety levels. The CeA is a region of the brain linked to emotions. They used a technique called optogenetics, which involves using light-sensitive proteins to control neuron activity with light.

Their findings revealed that stimulating AT2R neurons in the CeA not only lowered blood pressure but also reduced anxiety in mice. Additionally, giving a drug that targets AT2R produced the same effect, highlighting the potential for new treatments for stress-related high blood pressure and anxiety disorders.

“These neurons are mostly GABAergic (neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid and the system of neurons that use it), meaning they work to calm down or inhibit the activity of nearby neurons, which helps lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety,” explained de Kloet. “It was surprising that AT2R neurons specifically link their activity to these outcomes, given the many inhibitory neurons in the amygdala.”

The research highlights the crucial link between mental and physical health.

“Increased activation of the amygdala during psychological stress can predict future heart problems. Conversely, practices like meditation are found to decrease amygdala activity, lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health,” Krause said. “Our studies suggest that AT2R neurons in the amygdala may contribute to the improved mood and heart health benefits that come with mind-body practices.”

“We believe that the neurons discovered in our study help communicate between the mind and body to improve heart health and mood,” de Kloet said. “People who have mastered practices like meditation and Tai Chi may have learned how to engage these neurons.”

Krause hesitated to predict when similar studies and clinical research might be done with humans.

“By its nature, biomedical research is unpredictable,” Krause said. “More often than not, effective therapies are the result of marathon-like efforts from several laboratories.”

The team plans to further explore the effectiveness of targeting AT2R neurons to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and anxiety disorders, including PTSD. They are also interested in investigating whether delivering a drug that targets AT2R directly to the brain, like through a nasal spray, could improve heart and mental health in humans.

More information: Khalid Elsaafien et al, Neurons of the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala That Express Angiotensin Type 2 Receptors Couple Lowered Blood Pressure with Anxiolysis in Male Mice, The Journal of Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1482-24.2025

Journal information:Journal of Neuroscience

Provided by Georgia State University

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