title: Stressed brain, diseased heart: a review on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of neurocardiology.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are traditionally related to well known risk factors like dyslipidemia, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. More recently, stress, anxiety and depression have been proposed as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases including heart failure, ischemic disease, hypertension and arrhythmias. Interestingly, this association has been established largely on the basis of epidemiological data, due to insufficient knowledge on the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review will revisit evidence on the interaction between the cardiovascular and nervous systems, highlighting the perspective on how the central nervous system is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Such knowledge is likely to be of relevance for the development of better strategies to treat patients in a holistic perspective.
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Vitor Hugo
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: João José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cerqueira
authors.forename: Joana Almeida
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Palha
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*