title: Chronic stress accelerates atherosclerosis in the apolipoprotein E deficient mouse.
abstract: Conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure do not account fully for variation in coronary heart disease suggesting the involvement of additional mechanisms. We have examined the effects of a chronic psychological stress protocol on the development of atherosclerosis in the apolipoprotein E knockout mouse. We observed a 3-fold increase in staining for atheroma accompanied by a 10-fold increase in corticosterone concentrations in mice stressed for 12 weeks. These data suggest that chronic mild stress can induce or accelerate the development of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, International Centre for Health and Society, London, UK. m.kumari@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.forename: Cairistine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grahame-Clarke
authors.forename: Nola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shanks
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marmot
authors.forename: Stafford
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lightman
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vallance
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009812:Odorants; D051381:Rats / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E