United States: From the research done by the American Heart Association (AHA), it is clear that people who have been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm may have a higher risk of developing these mental health disorders.
More about the research
The researchers also established that the existence of an unruptured aneurysm expanded the possible types of anxiety, stress, depression, inability to sleep, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and alcohol or drug dependence by 10 percent at ten years.
An unruptured aneurysm is formed when the blood vessel in the brain is weakened and shows a swelling or growth – thus setting up for a fatal rupture, according to AHA, Fox News reported.
It was most pronounced in the point of view of adults under forty years of age, and the corresponding risk was three times as high among those who received an official mental health diagnosis.
Analysis by the Study
The researchers reviewed records of 85,438 untreated patients diagnosed with aneurysm from 2011 through 2019 and 331,000 patients without aneurysms.
To obtain the data, the authors analyzed records from the National Health Information Database of the Republic of Korea.
The findings were published in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the AHA.
According to study co-author Na-Rae Yang, M.D., PhD, an assistant professor of neurosurgery in the department of neurosurgery at Ewha Womans University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, “As a neurosurgeon who treats cerebral aneurysms, I often see people who do not undergo surgery, yet feel fear and/or anxiety about their condition before each imaging or screening test to monitor their condition,” as Fox News reported.
“Even when it is medically judged and explained that follow-up observation is the best course for their aneurysm rather than surgery, they still worry about the very slim chance of developing a fatal brain bleed,” she continued.
Yang also noticed the fact that younger adults were more susceptible to having a “significant psychological burden,” which could be associated with other life stressors, like building their career and/or raising a family.
“This elevated rate of mental health conditions suggests that younger people might be particularly vulnerable, highlighting the need for targeted mental health support and interventions for this age group,” she added.
What more did the experts state?
Dr. Daniel T. Lackland, who is an EPI at the American Heart Association and Stroke Council member and professor of epidemiology at the Medical University of South Carolina, did not participate in this study, but he said he is not surprised.
He said, “While there is no evidence that aneurysms directly cause anxiety and mental disorders, this study suggests there may be a connection between stress and aneurysms, and that unruptured aneurysms can increase emotional distress,” Fox News reported.
“For example, an enlarging aneurysm may physically affect nearby sympathetic ganglia, which could produce panic or anxiety symptoms,” he continued.
Severe emotional stress could also contribute to an enlarged aneurysm of the blood vessel bursting, which could contribute to anxiety, said Lackland.
Lackland also suggests that one should stay actively and frequently in touch with health providers, especially for those with a history of brain aneurysms in the family.
He recommended, “If diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, [the patient should] follow through with the appropriate and proper treatment.”
“Brain aneurysms, like aortic aneurysms, are life-threatening if they rupture but can be treated with appropriate therapy and/or procedures,” he added.