Dopamine is required for proper kidney function and regulation of blood pressure
Many Americans are determined to improve their cardiovascular health.
Many Americans are determined to improve their cardiovascular health. While some buy Plavix to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack, others are concentrating on healthy lifestyle behaviors such as exercising and eating right in order to lower their blood pressure.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center recently reported that the neurotransmitter dopamine is important for proper kidney function and blood pressure regulation.
Lead authors Raymond Harris and Ming-Zhi Zhang studied the process of dopamine production in a group of mice that lacked the enzyme necessary to generate this hormone. They found that the rodents had high blood pressure at baseline, a condition that worsened when they consumed a diet high in salt. According to the researchers, this may indicate that the mice are a good model of salt-sensitive hypertension.
"These animals retain salt and water when they don't have sufficient dopamine production in the kidney," Harris said. "Our studies highlight this whole other hormonal system that appears to balance or put the brakes on the renin-angiotensin system."
|
