Adverse Impact of Mood on Flow-Mediated Dilation

Abstract

Objective To examine the impact of mood states on endothelial function, as measured noninvasively by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Substantial literature indicates that negative mood is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not well defined. CVD is often preceded by dysfunction of the endothelium. Methods Healthy adults (n = 70; mean age, 36 years) completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), which contains six subscales (depression/dejection; tension/anxiety; anger/hostility; confusion/bewilderment; fatigue/inertia; vigor/activity) that are used to compute a total mood disturbance score for overall psychological distress. FMD was calculated (maximum percentage change in brachial artery diameter) from ultrasound assessment of arterial diameter at baseline and for 10 minutes after occlusion. Results Regressions showed that increases in POMS total mood disturbance scores were associated with decreases in endothelial function. Mood disturbance explained 10% of the variance in FMD (p < .01), after controlling for age, sex, mean arterial pressure, body mass index, and socially desirable response bias. An exploratory set of separate regressions conducted to decompose the link between FMD and total mood disturbance revealed that the following POMS subscales were inversely correlated with FMD: depression/dejection, tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, fatigue/inertia (p’s < .05), and confusion/bewilderment (p < .01). Conclusions Mood disturbance could contribute to CVD via impaired vasodilation. These preliminary results show that even mild levels of adverse psychological states, particularly depressed, anxious, angry, confused, and fatigued states, might be linked to increased cardiovascular risk.

Effects of dipping and psychological traits on morning surge in blood pressure in healthy people

“…Previous research demonstrated that depression is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, and that depressive mood is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. 11,13,31 In line with recent findings by Cooper et al 16 our results suggest that although the subjects were not clinically depressed, even higher scores on a scale of depression may be a cardiovascular health risk. There is clinical evidence supporting the use of behavioral 32 and pharmacological interventions targeting depression to improve cardiovascular prognosis.…”

“…15 Furthermore, recent findings demonstrate that even mild levels of adverse psychological states such as depression, anxiety and hostility may be linked to increased cardiovascular risk via impaired vasodilation. 16 Only one paper has examined the relationship between personality and MSBP. We previously reported that individual differences in hostility were related to different patterns of BP during sleep and the early morning hours in hypertensive patients.…”

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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Endothelial Function in Women

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