Gaby
Anxiety or depression can significantly increase the risk of developing potentially life-threatening blood clots or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This was confirmed by a recent study conducted by a team at Massachusetts General Hospital.
DVT can restrict blood flow to the area where the clot forms, raising pressure in the veins. The danger escalates if part or all of the clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, where it can block blood flow, causing shortness of breath, chest pain, and even death.
Over the past decade, researchers have frequently examined the link between mental health and the risk of clot formation. However, conflicting study results and complicating factors—such as participants taking medications and having hypertension—have hindered understanding of how these two phenomena are connected.
In their new study, the medical team focused not only on how much anxiety or depression can elevate the risk of DVT but also on why this occurs.
“My research is based on data from my patients,” said Dr. Rachel Rozovsky, the lead author of the study and director of thrombosis research in the hematology department, in an interview with Live Science. When she noticed a connection between prolonged anxiety/depression and blood clots in her patients, she hypothesized that these mental states could contribute to the development of thrombosis.
How the Study Was Conducted
To investigate this connection, the researchers retrospectively analyzed data from approximately 119,000 individuals. This data, which included measurements of brain activity related to stress, was obtained through positron emission tomography (PET).
The researchers compared the activity of the amygdala—a brain region that responds to potential threats—with the activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate the amygdala and control emotional responses. This allowed them to capture a snapshot of stress-related neural activity (SNA).
The data also included measurements of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, an inflammation marker, and heart rate variability, a marker of adaptability. The higher the heart rate variability, the better the body can cope with stressful situations.
From the entire cohort, about 106,450 participants were diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and 108,790 with depression. Many participants exhibited both conditions.
Over a period of 3.6 years, approximately 1,780 participants experienced deep vein thrombosis. Those with a history of anxiety and depression had a 53% and 48% higher likelihood, respectively, of developing DVT compared to those without either condition.
Moreover, among the 1,520 individuals who underwent PET scans, those with anxiety or depression exhibited higher levels of SNA than those without either condition. Individuals with elevated levels of this activity had a 30% greater risk of developing DVT.
The team then discovered that stress is linked to increased white blood cell activity—the driving force behind inflammation. Researchers have previously warned that this contributes to blood clotting.
Now, the team has identified three potential mechanisms that connect anxiety and depression to deep vein thrombosis: elevated SNA, inflammation, and reduced heart rate variability. It appears that the more stress a person experiences, the higher their risk of developing DVT, the researchers noted.
The study’s findings were published in the American Journal of Hematology.
