Examining the Effect of Mental Health Disorders on Vascular Function and Exercise Tolerance

Mental health disorders are highly prevalent and underdiagnosed and can cause perturbations
in cardiovascular and metabolic function leading to substantial individual burden (increased
health care cost, loss of work productivity). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), two common mental health disorders, can cause increase
cardiovascular disease risk due to chronic increases or fluctuations in heart rate, blood
pressure, stress hormones, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric condition characterized by a persistent maladaptive
reaction resulting from exposure to severe psychological stress. It has been revealed that
individuals with PTSD, in addition to adverse mental health symptoms, also possess higher
prevalence rates for physical comorbidities such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and
metabolic syndrome. Taken together, these PTSD-induced comorbidities result in a significant
increase in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) when compared to
individuals without PTSD. Anxiety disorders, the most prevalent mental health issue in the
United States, is associated an increased incidence of hypertension and heart disease. This
increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is thought to derive from an overactivation of
the sympathetic nervous system that results in a predominately pro-oxidant, pro-inflammatory
cardiovascular environment. Peripheral vascular dysfunction, or the inability of the blood
vessels to adequately respond to specific stimuli, is a factor closely related to CVD.
Therefore, this study will focus on a younger population with PTSD or GAD in an attempt to
ascertain the presence of peripheral vascular dysfunction and the magnitude to which two
potential primary contributors (autonomic dysfunction, oxidative stress) are involved in this
dysfunction.

Inclusion Criteria:

- apparently healthy and free of overt cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease

- for PTSD group, a score of ≥ 33 on PCL-5 checklist

- for GAD group, a score of ≥ 10 on the GAD-7 self-report scale

Exclusion Criteria:

- taking medications that could influence cardiovascular function

- limited English proficiency