Scientists Artificially Raise , Heart Rates of Mice , to Induce Anxious Behavior .
'Newsweek' reports that a recent study
showing that anxiety can be created by the body
may have serious implications for humans.
Scientists demonstrated that artificially
raising a mouse's heart rate resulted
in the rodent exhibiting anxious behavior. .
Karl Deisseroth, an author of the study
at Stanford University, said that he was , "intrigued by epidemiology linking primary
cardiac disorders with panic attacks.".
But there was no way of proving
a causal link arising from cardiac
abnormalities, since there was no
way of specifically and directly
controlling cardiac function
in real time in behaving animals, Karl Deisseroth, study author at Stanford University, via 'Newsweek'.
But there was no way of proving
a causal link arising from cardiac
abnormalities, since there was no
way of specifically and directly
controlling cardiac function
in real time in behaving animals, Karl Deisseroth, study author at Stanford University, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the team developed
a non-invasive optogenetic pacemaker which allowed
them to control a lab mouse's cardiac rhythms.
The researchers were able to make the lab mice's hearts
beat faster, reaching 900 beats per minute (bpm),
about 300 bpm faster than their resting heart rates. .
The researchers were able to make the lab mice's hearts
beat faster, reaching 900 beats per minute (bpm),
about 300 bpm faster than their resting heart rates. .
We found that directly pacing the heart
at higher rates caused increases in
anxiety-related symptoms, especially
in potentially risky environments, Karl Deisseroth, study author at Stanford University, via 'Newsweek'.
We found that directly pacing the heart
at higher rates caused increases in
anxiety-related symptoms, especially
in potentially risky environments, Karl Deisseroth, study author at Stanford University, via 'Newsweek'.
This effect was mediated by communication
from heart muscle-cell activity to
the insular cortex in the brain, Karl Deisseroth, study author at Stanford University, via 'Newsweek'.
The team's findings were published in , the journal 'Nature.'