A study suggests the lateral parafacial (pFL) region of the brain, which controls breathing, may also influence blood pressure. Researchers found that in hypertensive rats, this brainstem region connects to nerves that tighten blood vessels. Inactivating the pFL region in these rats normalized blood pressure, indicating that changes in breathing patterns, particularly forced exhalations, could trigger high blood pressure in humans and presenting a potential new target for hypertension treatment.