Increasingly, chronic inflammation is seen as the driver of heart disease and many other ailments.

Newer research also points to stress, and suggests a mechanism by which stress is involved in the development of inflammation.

In a paper published in The Lancet, researchers focused on the part of the brain called the amygdala, which previous studies had shown was more active in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

They gave 293 patients combined PET/CT scans to record brain, bone marrow, and spleen activity, as well as inflammation in their arteries.

The patients were then observed for nearly four years to see if they developed heart attack, angina, heart failure, stroke, or peripheral artery disease.

Of the 22 who did suffer a cardiovascular event, those with higher levels of amygdala activity had a greater risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. They also developed problems more quickly than those with lower activity.

In addition, researchers found that heightened activity in the amygdala was linked to increased bone marrow activity and inflammation in the arteries, suggesting increased heart attack and stroke risk.