Researchers have described a mechanism by which high salt intake can lead to higher blood pressure. Using rats, they found that salt causes biochemical changes in neurons that release vasopressin, a hormone that increases arterial blood pressure.
Salt disables the natural safety mechanism that prevents vasopressin from being released in the blood, thus allowing blood pressure to rise when a high amount of salt is ingested over a long period of time. Now the researchers want to study whether this mechanism is present in humans, and if so, if there any potential therapeutic implications.
Original research paper published in Neuron on January 22, 2015.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
