Adolescent vulnerability to cardiovascular consequences of chronic emotional stress: Review and perspectives for future research

Author(s)

Crestani, Carlos C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS; v. 74, p. 10-pg., 2017-03-01.

Abstract

Emotional stress has been recognized as a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Adolescence has been proposed as a developmental period of vulnerability to stress. This idea has been mainly supported by experimental research in animals demonstrating a higher impact of chronic emotional stress in adolescents compared with adults. Adolescent vulnerability is also based on evidence that stress during this developmental period affects development, so that enduring changes are found in adult animals that experienced stress during adolescence. The purpose of the present review is to discuss experimental research in rodent models that investigated the impact of long-term exposure to stressful events during adolescence on cardiovascular function. The development of cardiovascular function and autonomic activity in rodents is initially reviewed. Then, a discussion of an adolescent vulnerability to cardiovascular effects of chronic stress is presented. From the reviewed literature, perspective for future research is proposed to better elucidate adolescent vulnerability to cardiovascular complications evoked by chronic emotional stress. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/14376-0 - Comparison of the effect of two protocols of chronic stress in cardiovascular and autonomic functions in rats
• Grantee: Carlos Cesar Crestani
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/05922-9 - Study of the participation of CRF neurotransmission in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in cardiovascular changes evoked by stress: interaction with the NMDA receptor/nitric oxide / guanilil cycles / protein kinase g signaling pathway?
• Grantee: Carlos Cesar Crestani
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants