Exercise Can Help Lower Blood Pressure by Restoring Brain Function: Study

Tokyo: New research shows that regular exercise can help lower blood pressure by restoring key brain functions affected by stress.

A study by researchers at Juntendo University, Japan, published in Acta Physiologica, has found that exercise prevents stress-induced high blood pressure by restoring levels of a crucial gene called STAT3 in the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in emotions and cardiovascular regulation.

The research, led by Professor Hidefumi Waki, along with Dr. Keisuke Tomita and Dr. Ko Yamanaka, revealed that chronic stress lowers Stat3 gene expression, leading to increased blood pressure. However, exercise helps bring STAT3 levels back to normal, preventing hypertension.

“In the amygdala, the gene Stat3 is involved in the regulation of blood pressure and possibly plays a role in blood pressure elevation in response to chronic stress. It might also be involved in the improvement of stress by voluntary exercise,” explains Prof. Waki, highlighting its importance in cardiovascular health.

To understand this process, researchers studied rats exposed to three weeks of chronic stress. One group was allowed to run on a wheel daily, while another remained inactive.

The results showed that stressed rats who did not exercise experienced a rise in blood pressure and a decline in Stat3 gene expression. However, in the group that exercised, blood pressure stayed normal, and STAT3 levels were restored.

Further experiments confirmed that blocking Stat3 expression in the amygdala led to an increase in blood pressure, even in the absence of stress. “The improvement of cardiovascular dynamics after exercise is attributed to the rescue of Stat3 expression, possibly because of mechanisms such as neuroprotection and anti-inflammation,” says Prof. Waki, explaining how exercise helps protect the heart.

While regular exercise is already recommended for heart health, this study suggests it may also be a natural way to prevent stress-related high blood pressure. However, researchers caution that more studies are needed to confirm these findings in humans and explore whether therapies targeting STAT3 could offer new treatments for hypertension.

“STAT3 plays a potential role in arterial pressure elevation in response to chronic stress and its improvement through exercise, both of which need to be clarified in future studies,” concludes Prof. Waki.

The research team now plans to investigate whether specific types of exercise—or even medications—can further enhance STAT3 activity in the brain to help prevent hypertension. This study reinforces a simple yet powerful message: exercise is not just good for your body—it’s essential for your brain and heart health too.