How mental stress affects small coronary blood vessels in women
Mental Stress Reactivity in Women with Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction
This project looks at whether women with small-vessel heart disease have stronger stress-driven nerve responses that narrow heart microvessels and cause symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257272 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited to undergo mental stress testing while doctors measure your heart blood flow with PET scans and monitor nervous-system responses and vessel behavior. The team will compare women known or suspected to have coronary microvascular dysfunction with others to see if stress causes the small heart vessels to constrict. Tests include questionnaires about anxiety, measurements of sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activity, and imaging of myocardial flow reserve. The goal is to connect stress responses to reduced blood flow in the heart's microcirculation to guide future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women who have chest pain or signs of myocardial ischemia but no major blockages on coronary angiography, or who have been diagnosed with coronary microvascular dysfunction, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with significant obstructive coronary artery disease, men, or those unable to undergo PET imaging or stress testing may not be eligible or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to treatments that reduce stress-triggered chest pain and lower heart risks in women with coronary microvascular dysfunction.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show PET can detect microvascular dysfunction and that mental stress can trigger symptoms, but directly linking sympathetic activation to microvascular constriction in women is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Puja Kiran — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Puja Kiran
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.