Reuters | Sep 03, 2013 | 22:44

LONDON, — Scientists experimenting (click here) with rats have found that de-activating certain nerves in the neck can effectively treat high blood pressure — a discovery that could be an advance in tackling one of the world’s biggest silent killers.

Researchers at Britain’s Bristol University found that in rats with high blood pressure, when they removed nerve links between the brain and the carotid body — a nodule about the size of a grain of rice on the side of each carotid artery — the animals’ blood pressure fell and remained low.

The researchers’ results, published in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday, have already led the team on to conduct a small human trial of the technique, with results expected at the end of this year.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is referred to by the World Health Organisation as one of the world’s biggest silent killers because most people who have it can’t feel or see it.

It affects around one in three people worldwide and can cause stroke, heart attacks and kidney failure....