Chronic Psychosocial Stress Could Lead To Alzheimers Disease
Chronic stress, which involves a pathway called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, may contribute to the development of Alzheimers disease, according to a new review paper.
Armstrong et al. summarize the literature describing environmental and genetic factors that can impact an individuals HPA axis reactivity and function and ultimately Alzheimers disease risk. Image credit: National Institute on Aging / National Institutes of Health.
Chronic psychosocial stress is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for sporadic Alzheimers disease, said Dr. David Groth, a researcher in the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and the Curtin Medical School at Curtin University, and his colleagues.
The HPA axis is the major stress response pathway in the body and tightly regulates the production of cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone.
Dysregulation of the HPA axis and increased levels of cortisol are commonly found in Alzheimers patients and make a major contribution to the disease process.
The underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, they said.
In addition, within the general population there are interindividual differences in sensitivities to glucocorticoid and stress responses, which are thought to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
These differences could ultimately impact an individuals risk of Alzheimers disease.
The review paper was published in the journal Biological Reviews.
_____
Does Stress Really Cause Alzheimers
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida suggests that there is a possible connection between stress and Alzheimers. This echoes the results of an older study, but by identifying another contributing factor of stress on the development of beta-amyloid proteins.
Beta-amyloid proteins are isolated molecules that have little effect on brain health when they are alone and isolated. However, when they are produced in increased numbers, multiply, and connect, they form a plaque that ultimately limits connectivity and connection in the brain that leads to Alzheimers.
The study noted that stress stimulates the production of the corticotropin-releasing hormone , which seems to play a major role in increasing beta-amyloid protein production. In turn, this can speed up the time it takes to form the irreversible plaque that is responsible for the notorious effects of Alzheimers disease.
Although more work needs to be done to truly identify stress as a contributor to Alzheimers, this development is definitely something to pay close attention to.
Does Stress Cause Alzheimers Disease
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
Find me an American who doesnt grapple with stress. Its a tough charge, and its very unlikely youll be successful. We know that stress can cause poor sleep, exacerbate illness, and make you feel anxious or depressedbut will chronic stress put you on the fast track to Alzheimers?
New research is suggesting that it might.
Stress has been identified as a potential cause of Alzheimers for years. Studies have noted that Alzheimers patients tend to have higher levels of cortisol in their blood, and a new study is showing that stress increases the production of specific proteins that are a telltale sign of dementia and Alzheimers disease.
With over 75 million Americans reporting to have some form of stress in their lives and Alzheimers rates expected to skyrocket in the coming years, stress impact on Alzheimers could be a major health concernand breakthroughif these results prove correct. Its entirely feasible to see how chronic stress could cause Alzheimers. Lets take a look at why.
Read Also: Diet Coke And Dementia
How To Support A Person With Dementia Who Has Anxiety
Encourage them to:
- talk about their worries or fears
- If something very upsetting or traumatic has happened recently or in the past, the person may find it helpful to talk about their feelings however, if it was severe emotional trauma, ask a professional counsellor or psychotherapist for help first .
- If they are not comfortable discussing sensitive issues with someone they know, it may help if they instead talk to a professional counsellor or therapist.
Too Much Work Stress Could Lead To Alzheimers Disease Study Warns
PERTH, Australia If your job is always putting you in a bad mood, youll be doing your brain a favor if you take up a career that makes you happier. A new study concludes that having a stressful job may lead to Alzheimers disease.
Researchers at Curtin University in Australia say that work stress damages an area of the brain triggered during emotional pressure. Known as the HPA axis, it releases stress hormones, including cortisol. High levels have been linked to memory loss, and even shrinkage of gray matter.
Chronic stress affects many biological pathways. There is an intimate interplay between exposure to it and the bodys reaction, says senior author David Groth, a dementia expert and professor at the university, in a statement. Genetic variations within these pathways can influence the way the brains immune system behaves leading to a dysfunctional response. In the brain, this leads to a chronic disruption of normal processes, increasing the risk of subsequent neurodegeneration and ultimately dementia.
The Australian team identified a link between psychosocial stressors and Alzheimers in susceptible individuals. Examples include divorce, bereavement, prolonged illness, moving home or a highly competitive work situation. Combined with genetic factors, it can make some individuals more prone to the devastating neurological disorder.
Also Check: Alzheimer’s Neurotransmitters Affected
Stress Management May Be More Vital To Our Health Than Realized
Cortisol is known to affect cognition. But the molecular underpinnings are not yet fully understood. The findings could help identify those at greatest risk. Prescribing drugs earlier improves the chances of success.
Epidemiological studies suggest that PTSD and depression can lead to dementia. A study of women tracked for 35 years found those stress during midlife were around twice as likely to go on to develop Alzheimers.
There remains a need for a greater understanding of how genetic factors influence reactivity to cortisol and chronic stress and may interact with specific cell types, such as microglia, to promote Alzheimers, says Groth, per South West News Service.
Mutations that render a carrier more susceptible to the effects of stress and cortisol could determine how microglia enter a primed state. It is an example of how genetic and environmental factors work together to drive dementia.
It is important to consider that multiple subsets of microglia, with distinct genetic signatures, exist within the brain as these maybe impacted differently by genetic and stress interactions, says Groth.
The phenomenon could lead to the development of better drugs that target microglia, tau or beta amyloid, as well as stress management strategies.
SWNS writer Mark Waghorn contributed to this report.
If I Am Affected By Stress Should I Worry About Getting Dementia
The current evidence indicates that while prolonged stress may play a role in the development or progression of dementia, having chronic stress does not necessarily cause dementia.
Hopefully, further research can begin to uncover what role, if any, stress does play in a persons risk of developing dementia.
Having long-term stress does cause a number of health issues so if you are experiencing stress it is a good idea to see your doctor, especially if you might be affected by PTSD.
How to deal with stress
There are a number of useful tools available now that can help to combat stress – the NHS Choices website has a list of many of them.
You May Like: Alzheimers Awareness Symbol
What Does Science Say About Stress And Dementia
A review of the scientific literature on stress and dementia risk concluded that stress could play a role in dementia development but is unlikely to be the only factor that causes the condition. There is still much to be understood about what mechanisms could underlie any links between stress and dementia risk.
A study funded by Alzheimers Society is examining whether long-term stress may play a role in whether someone progresses from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimers disease. Lead researcher Clive Holmes says:
‘Understanding the role of the immune system in the risk of Alzheimers disease is of great importance to researchers. As prolonged stress can cause changes in the immune system, we wanted to find out if this was linked to progression to dementia from mild cognitive impairment.
‘Our investigations show that stress does appear to have an effect on progression in mild cognitive impairment. Our preliminary findings are showing that this may be mediated through a fault in the regulation of the immune system in people with mild cognitive impairment but we are continuing to investigate this further.’
Some researchers looking into long-term stress and dementia have focused on people who are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder . This is a diagnosed condition that occurs when a person has been through a life-changing or distressing event.
The Relationship Between Stress And Neurodegenerative Disease The Vicious Cycle Of Stress
Since the time of Selye, we have known that excessive levels of stress can cause and exacerbate disease, in large part through the activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis which elevates circulating corticosteroid levels. This produces a constellation of symptoms that occur in response to any form of stress, which he terms the general adaptation syndrome . With recent advances, we have come to more fully understand both how stress exacerbates disease symptoms and drives disease progression, and how diseases disrupt stress responses to produce neuropsychiatric symptoms. I term this feed-forward relationship between stress and disease, The Vicious Cycle of Stress .
The Vicious Cycle of Stress. On the right arc of the cycle, elevated stress exacerbates Alzheimer’s Disease, causing more rapid development of pathology and loss in cognitive function. On the left arc of the cycle, disease perturbs stress responsive neural circuits, producing neuropsychiatric co-morbidities, including depression, anixety, and aggressive behavior. The HPA axis , in which hypothalamic CRF activates pituitary ACTH release and subsequent Cortisol release by the adrenal cortex, has a central role in both the exacerbation of AD by stress, and the stress-related symptoms caused by ongoing neurodegeneration.
Also Check: Alzheimers Dement
How Can Stress Cause Alzheimers
Apart from other health risks of chronic stress, stress can increase the risk of Alzheimers disease. So, can stress cause Alzheimers? Studies have discovered that Alzheimers can be caused due to the long-term effects of chronic stress. Chronic stress is already known for causing a variety of serious health issues, and now stress can cause Alzheimers.
Truly, chronic stress seems to carry the potential to cause Alzheimers. When our bodies experience stress, our blood pressures rises, and so do the cortisol levels in blood. High levels of cortisol produced by chronic stress have been found to increase a persons risk of Alzheimers disease. High blood pressure, high cortisol levels due to stress can cause Alzheimers.
Once stress hormone, cortisol enters the brain, it begins killing brain cells, which can cause Alzheimers disease. Chronic stress and anxiety can trigger Alzheimers in some people. Stress can cause Alzheimers by contributing to the development of the direct or indirect causes of Alzheimers.
| Written, Edited or Reviewed By:Pramod Kerkar, M.D., FFARCSI, DA Pain Assist Inc.This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimerLast Modified On: April 3, 2018 |
Influence Of Stress On Aging And Neural Substrates
High levels of cortisol may also be present in Cushing’s syndrome. Patients with this condition show an increase of cortisol levels in blood, being the body exposed to high levels of that hormone during a long time. Cortisol affects primarily to peripheral tissues, but it can also affect brain structures secondarily leading to a cognitive impairment . However, despite Cushing’s syndrome could add some evidence on the relationship between cortisol and cognitive impairment, this model does not seem to be totally comparable with neurodegenerative disorders since patients with Cushing tend to show a more premature mortality than sporadic AD patients .
Chronic stress in midlife could cause a dysregulation in that balance leading to a malfunctioning of the hippocampus in the long-term. Therefore, people more prone to psychological distress face a higher risk for MCI . As previously indicated, this objective cognitive decline could appear after the SCD stage . Analyzing people with SCD, it was found that such individuals contained higher levels of salivary cortisol, the surrogate of stress .
Don’t Miss: Dementia Ribbon Colour
What Does Stress Do To Our Brain And Body
The bodys response to stress. When a person experiences a stressor, a fight or flight response occurs naturally in the body . Heart rate increases , muscles tense up , and stress-related hormones like adrenalin are pumped into your brain . This survival mechanism is at play with wild animals as well, such as the zebra being chased by a lion on the African savannah. The difference between zebras and humans, however, is that the zebras body quickly returns to normal once the immediate threat is over . However, humans can be in this heightened state of stress response over much longer periods of time, especially if they are experiencing negative stressors that are long-lasting or chronic, such as extreme poverty or an abusive relationship .
During times of stress, the body releases cortisol and other stress hormones to the brain. Although these hormones are beneficial in helping the person respond to short-term immediate stressors, lasting minutes or maybe hours, they can be damaging to the brain when experienced over a longer timeframe lasting weeks, months or years.
Studies have shown that such chronic stress from long-term stressors that are not well managed, have the effect of killing brain cells in the area of the brain called the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. The loss of brain cells in this area, puts the person at higher risk of later developing Alzheimers disease and other dementias .
Stress And Its Influence On Alzheimers Disease
Aging is an inevitable journey for everyone, and includes many obstacles and different paths to take. How we live our lives can have enormous impact on whether we grow old gracefully, or succumb along the way. Good physical health, through diet and exercise, will allow people to remain active well into their twilight years, but as lifespan increases it is also important to take care of and maintain brain health as well. Fortunately, it appears that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain, and thus by keeping active, both physically and mentally, and maintaining a healthy diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids, a person can have the best chance of aging successfully, and avoid both heart disease and brain disease.
The major brain disease of the elderly is Alzheimers disease. It affects 1 in 20 people aged 65 and over, and its incidence increases with age such that around half of people aged 85 and over have the disease. Alzheimers disease is a devastating disorder that robs a person of their memories and cognitive abilities, rendering them unable to recognize family members, or care for themselves. But what is it that causes Alzheimers disease? Why do some people develop Alzheimers disease and not others? By asking, and then understanding these questions, we, as scientists, can develop therapies and strategies to help people avoid developing the disease in old age.
Relax! Avoid stress…
Read Also: Alzheimer’s Ribbon Color
Articles On Behavior Problems With Dementia And Alzheimer’s
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, nervousness, or fear. Everyone feels anxious sometimes, but feeling that way often or all the time can affect your health.
As many as 3 in 4 people with Alzheimerâs disease may have some level of anxiety. Itâs often one reason behind challenging behaviors like wandering and aggression.
People with Alzheimerâs disease may have trouble saying how they feel. You may not know when your loved one is worrying or feeling anxious. You might instead notice other signs, such as:
- Avoiding social situations
- Restless behaviors like wandering, doing the same thing over and over, or not staying still
- Muscle tension, even if theyâre not aware of feeling anxious
- Not sleeping well
Er Stress And Upr Signaling
The ER is a membrane-enclosed reticular network connecting the nuclear envelope to the Golgi complex . It has multiple vital functions: protein folding, post-translational modification, and transport to the Golgi complex, maintenance of cellular calcium homeostasis, synthesis of lipids and sterols, and regulation of cellular survival via a complex transducer and signaling network . ER is a sensitive sensor of cellular homeostasis and different types of insults, e.g. proteasomal inhibition and impaired redox regulation and calcium balance, can disturb the function of ER and induce ER stress .1). ER stress involves the accumulation of unfolded and deficiently modified proteins, disturbances in lipid metabolism, and release of ER luminal Ca2+ into the cytoplasm . In particular, failure of protein quality control is detrimental to cellular survival and therefore ER can trigger an evolutionarily conserved UPR to counteract the situation .
A schematic presentation of the three branches of UPR, their signaling pathways, and pathological responses with respect to inflammation and AD pathology.
Recommended Reading: Did Reagan Have Alzheimers
How To Tell If You Or A Loved One May Be Developing Alzheimers
Because Alzheimers is a concern for virtually anyone over the age of 65, its something you should be on the lookout for. There are 10 warning signs of Alzheimers that can help you decide if you or a loved one should seek a professional opinion. Id like to point out that everyone reading can probably check off a handful of these symptoms they are totally normal. However, if they are occurring frequently and beginning to have a greater impact on your daily life, they could signify a more serious condition.
1. Memory loss, including things like regularly forgetting important dates or events, taking medication, etc. It can also mean asking for the same information repeatedly and the need for increasingly relying on memory aids for simple tasks.
2. Difficulty solving problems, like following a recipe or keeping track of monthly bills
3. Difficulty completing routine tasks
4. Confusion with time
5. Trouble understanding visuals and spatial relationships, such as judging distances, shapes, colors, or where you are in relation to other things
6. New problems with words when speaking and/or writing
7. Misplacing things or being unable to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment/decision making
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood/personality