Scientists have been able to discover the connection between sleep problems and heart diseases. Scientists were able to find the link between these conditions after conducting a study on mice and human tissues.
The link between heart problems and lack of sleep
right Live Science this research recently published in the journal Science concludes that heart conditions can negatively influence the production of melatonin in the brain, the hormone that aids sleep. Specifically, melatonin production is impaired due to lesions that innervate or connect to both organs, namely the superior cervical ganglion.
Researchers have discovered that these nerves, located in the neck, are part of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for controlling involuntary processes in the body, such as breathing and heart rate. They originate in the superior cervical ganglion, connect to both the heart and the pineal gland – a small brain structure that plays a key role in the production of melatonin. Heart problems could explain why the body’s melatonin production goes off track.
The lead author of the study, Stefan Engelhardt, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Technical University of Munich, explained this concept by comparing the superior cervical ganglion to an electrical distribution box. In the case of a patient with sleep disturbances due to a heart condition, it may be a problem with one wire causing a fire in the junction box and spreading to another wire.
The study was considered important by Brooke Aggarwal, an assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University, who was not involved in the research. She noted that this study suggests a new mechanism that may help explain why people with heart disease are more prone to sleep disturbances. However, the specialist warned that further studies are needed to reveal more about this mechanism and to test potential treatments derived from these findings.
Why melatonin levels decrease
Sleep disturbances are common in people with heart disease, and previous studies have suggested that melatonin levels are low in these people, but the exact causes were not known. In this study, the research team analyzed samples of human brain tissue from deceased heart disease patients and from healthy individuals. The analysis revealed that people with heart disease had a reduced number of nerve fibers in the superior cervical ganglion, as well as signs of scarring and enlargement.
Experiments on mice brought new information to support the findings. Mice with heart disease had immune cells called macrophages in their cervical ganglia, and their nerves showed signs of inflammation and scarring. These mice also had reduced levels of melatonin and disruption of circadian rhythms. Administration of melatonin to mice reversed these disturbances, and destruction of macrophages restored melatonin levels.
However, the researchers stressed that more studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms by which immune cells reach the superior cervical ganglion and interact with nerves. It is also important to conduct clinical trials to confirm the therapeutic efficacy of melatonin in treating sleep disorders in patients with chronic heart disease.
This promising study could open new perspectives in the development of drugs to treat sleep disorders associated with heart disease. The use of therapeutic melatonin could prove effective and provide a safer and less side-effect-ridden alternative to standard sleeping pills.
2023-07-21 19:14:48
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