What becomes of the broken hearted? Ask your doctor!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, asking…
Is a broken heart just a metaphor? Or. .. Could emotional stress actually cause PHYSICAL damage? Well, doctors have begun to recognize that it does. “Broken heart syndrome” – yes, that’s a thing — is caused by intense emotional distress. And it damages the heart’s ability to pump blood.
Doctors used to believe the damage was temporary, and broken hearts would heal with time. But recently, researchers from the University of Aberdeen discovered that SOME broken hearts can be permanent. Using MRI, they scanned the hearts of the heartbroken. They found some broken hearts never fully heal – even after years of emotional recovery.
Now, don’t go worrying about whether your high school heart throb actually BROKE your heart. Broken heart syndrome is rare and only affects adults who lost a dear loved one. And the researchers hope these findings will lead to a cure.
That is heartening! As for Billy Ray Cyrus, and his Achy Breaky Heart? More research is needed.