HEALTH CORNER

Scientific research suggests this happens when stress hormones or adrenaline released by the nervous system in preparation for "fight or flight" bombard the heart, causing a lethal toxic rush.

It is well known that mild stress or fright can cause shortness of breath and irregular heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. But the potentially lethal effect of the brain on the heart has remained on the fringes of medical research. Intense emotional reactions-including fear, anger, shock, grief, and even relief (or conditions such as brain hemorrhage)- can deluge the heart with adrenaline, causing cells to die and contraction bands to appear on the organ. In extreme cases, such a "nervous system storm" can trigger severe damage, leading to an abrupt cessation of life (sudden death).