Yale researchers find genetic link between heart disease and brain aneurysms

The article announces the discovery of a gene linked to heart disease which also increases the risk of blood vessels bursting in the brain. The discovery raises hope for new treatments for intracranial aneurysms which often strike without warning, affecting more than half a million people worldwide ever year. Existing medications for heart disease already target this linkage and with further research on this discovery, these medications could help to prevent or treat people at risk for aneurysms.

The study, done at Yale School of Medicine, involved the analysis of the genes of nearly 20,000 aneurysm patients and control subjects, and testing those genes to find variants that increase the risk of the condition. "One of those variants was close to the endothelin receptor type A gene, which is important in the maintenance of the vasculature, determining vessel ton and elasticity." Problems with endothelin signaling have been associated with many cardiovascular disorders, however this is the first association with the formation of brain aneurysms and the rupture of blood vessels. The way the gene variant acts is unclear. It could act by decreasing repair activity in the endothelial walls and increasing the risk of hemorrhage. But it could also just be too active and increase the creation of plaques that cause atherosclerosis. Either way, the gene variant increases the risk of aneurysms. Once the biological effects of this gene variant are more understood, smart therapies can be designed to treat people for intracranial aneurysms.