Depression might lead plaque build up

Depression appears to increase the risk of development of plaques in blood vessels, also known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and a host of other cardiovascular problems. Researchers from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis found that patients' psychological status influence quality of life, and may also have a significant impact on their physical status, including cardiovascular health. The researchers evaluated the contribution of depression, anxiety, and anger to atherosclerosis among 324 men and women between 50 and 70 years old. Symptom scoring tests evaluated the presence of depression, anxiety and anger, while the extent of atherosclerosis was accessed using an imaging test, which measured the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries, major blood vessels in the neck that carry oxygen to the brain. It was found that depressive symptoms were associated with plaque build-up during the 3-year study, whereas anxiety and anger symptoms seemed to be unrelated. Increased daily alcohol intake was associated with greater changes in plaque build-up, whereas the use of antidepressant drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors was associated with smaller changes. The findings suggest that depression, but perhaps not anxiety and hostility/anger, may be involved in the initiation and/or progression of atherosclerosis. Further studies examining multiple negative emotions could lead to the identification of the particular aspects of negative emotions that have a deleterious effect on cardiovascular health. Identifying these harmful aspects could lead to the development of more focused and perhaps potent interventions specifically designed to target the harmful aspects of negative emotions.