Dr Jessica Eccles is Associate Professor (Reader) in Brain-Body Medicine at BSMS
A groundbreaking study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry has revealed new insights into the connection between joint hypermobility and anxiety disorders, identifying key roles for the amygdala and insular cortex in the brain. Researchers from Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), the University of Sussex, and other institutions have discovered that individuals with joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS), now classified as Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, exhibit distinct neural patterns that may explain their heightened vulnerability to anxiety.
The study, led by Dr Jessica Eccles, Associate Professor (Reader) in Brain-Body Medicine at BSMS, used functional MRI scans to investigate how the brains of people with and without HMS respond to emotional stimuli, such as facial expressions. Findings showed that hypermobile individuals with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) exhibited amplified activity in the left amygdala, which processes threats, and the mid-insula, responsible for interpreting internal bodily signals. Moreover, the severity of hypermobility was closely linked to heightened activity in the anterior insula, a region critical to emotional and physiological state processing.
The study involved 63 participants, half of whom had GAD. Functional MRI scans were used to measure brain activity as participants processed emotional facial expressions.
The research also uncovered stronger functional connectivity between the amygdala and the precuneus, a brain region involved in attention and self-awareness, among hypermobile participants. These neural interactions may explain why individuals with joint hypermobility are more likely to experience anxiety, a risk that is four times greater compared to the general population.
Dr Eccles noted that these findings could pave the way for more effective treatments tailored to hypermobile individuals and also raise awareness of the often over looked brain-bodylink between hypermobility and anxiety. By targeting the amygdala and insula through interventions like biofeedback or neurofeedback, it may be possible to help regulate brain activity and reduce anxiety symptoms in this population. "Our results identify specific brain networks that may explain why people with hypermobility are more likely to experience anxiety," she explained. "This understanding opens the door to targeted treatments that could greatly improve quality of life."
This study not only advances scientific understanding of the interaction between connective tissue disorders and mental health but also highlights the importance of personalised treatment approaches. Funded by the Medical Research Council, the research reflects a multidisciplinary effort to address an often-overlooked aspect of mental health.
The full study is available in The British Journal of Psychiatry and offers new hope for developing therapies that are specifically designed to address the needs of hypermobile individuals.