Exploring Functional and Structural Connectivity as Markers of Atherosclerotic Burden in Chronic Stress

Motivation: Chronic stress leads to increase incidence of CVD. Connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, and their effects on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, are thought to be crucial. Goal(s): To elucidate the pathways by which chronic stress disorders lead to increased atherosclerosis. Approach: Multimodal PET/MR of the brain and body, bloodwork, and cognitive assessment were performed in a cohort of individuals with and without chronic stress. Functional and structural connectivity estimates were contrasted with established markers of stress, atherosclerosis and inflammation. Results: Functional and structural connectivity metrics were able to distinguish high and low atherosclerotic burden participants, with whole brain contributions. Impact: Sensorimotor cortices, and their connectivity with the amygdala, proved surprisingly relevant for distinguishing individuals with high atherosclerotic burden from those with low burden. While the prefrontal cortex is crucial to understanding stress-CVD relationships, sensorimotor contributions should not be disregarded.