Key result
Chronic psychological stress induces ~3-fold greater atheroma burden in ApoE knockout mice.
Why the study?
Conventional cardiovascular risk factors do not fully explain variation in coronary heart disease, suggesting additional mechanisms such as chronic psychological stress may be involved.
Effect estimate: 3-fold increase
Chronic stress may accelerate atherosclerosis in susceptible models; hypothesis-generating for human cardiovascular risk and should not yet change practice.
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.
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B et al. (2003) studied Atherosclerosis. Chronic psychological stress protocol vs. Unstressed mice (implied) was evaluated on Staining for atheroma (3-fold increase). A chronic psychological stress protocol for 12 weeks induced a 3-fold increase in atheroma staining and a 10-fold increase in corticosterone concentrations in apolipoprotein E knockout mice.
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