Sleep apnea often comes with high blood pressure, which, in turn, contributes to the heart-health risks tied to both conditions. Now, scientists have pinpointed two brain chemicals that play a role in this chain reaction and could pave the way for new therapies.
In a study of lab rats published in May in The Journal of Physiology, the scientists zeroed in on two brain-made chemicals known to affect blood pressure: oxytocin, also famous for its roles in attachment and social bonding, and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). They wanted to see how these two "neurohormones" influence the brainstem, a structure at the bottom of the brain tasked with controlling many involuntary functions, including blood pressure.
