Study links high-salt diet to brain inflammation

A new Canadian study by researchers at McGill University has found that a diet rich in salt can cause inflammation in the brain, which in turn leads to high blood pressure. The study offers new evidence that high blood pressure may originate in the brain, opening new possibilities for developing targeted treatments.

The findings challenge the conventional belief that high blood pressure primarily begins in the kidneys, which are the main targets of traditional medications. The researchers noted that this new understanding is especially relevant for the one-third of patients who do not respond to conventional treatments.

In their experiment, researchers mimicked a high-salt human diet by giving mice water with a 2 percent salt content, similar to a diet rich in fast food and processed foods. The research team observed that this diet activated immune cells in a specific area of the brain, causing inflammation and an increase in the hormone vasopressin, which is known to raise blood pressure. These changes were tracked using modern brain imaging and lab techniques.

High blood pressure affects two-thirds of people over 60 and contributes to 10 million deaths globally each year. The researchers believe their discovery provides a crucial new direction for understanding and treating this common yet dangerous condition.