Scientists Discover How Stress Causes Heart Attacks

An article in this week’s Telegraph explains the reason why stress can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

AQA Specification Link: This interesting discovery is particularly useful if you are studying the Year 2 Topic Stress, and can even be used when discussing the role of Fight and Flight in the Year 1 Biopsychology Topic, for AQA.

Scientists have found that people who have increased activity in the amygdala – a part of the brain linked to stress – are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The amygdala stimulates the production of white blood cells from the bone marrow which helps to fight infection and prepare the body for harmful situations. However, chronic stress can lead to the over-production of white blood cells, which can leave plague in the arteries leading to heart disease.

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