Head – Gavin Lambert
Research in Gavin’s lab focuses on the link between factors such as different forms of stress and heart disease.
In addition to the groundbreaking work on depression and heart disease, conducted with Professor Murray Esler, Gavin’s lab is investigating the way that obesity contributes to raised blood pressure. While it is well known that an excess of body fat distributed around the abdomen increases the risk of heart disease, the precise reasons for this are not yet understood. High cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels are all commonly found in overweight and obese people and this cluster of symptoms, referred to as “metabolic syndrome”, significantly increases the risk of heart attack and the development of diabetes.
Research conducted by Gavin’s team suggests that an important link between heart disease and body fat might be due to an overactive sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is associated with the body’s response to stress and in an active state the stress hormone noradrenaline is released, which raises blood pressure. Studies conducted on overweight and obese volunteers and published in 2005 have shown that weight loss and exercise not only improved every symptom of metabolic syndrome but an average weight loss of 6.5 kg in 22 volunteers led to an average reduction in the release of noradrenaline of 43 per cent. Research is continuing into whether the process of weight loss or a stable lower weight is more important in modifying sympathetic nervous system activity.
Another area of study examines the link between panic disorder and cardiovascular disease. It is believed that the risk of heart disease is increased in people suffering from panic disorder and is due to an over stimulation of their sympathetic nervous system. Gavin’s lab has shown that during a panic attack, patients display some symptoms similar to those experienced when somebody is experiencing a myocardial infarction or heart attack. Gavin’s team is studying the effects on heart risk of two different types of treatment: cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication.