Stress at 40 age increases risk of dementia in women - Gazeta Wyborcza

Perhaps it is the effect of stress hormones, including cortisol, which initiate adverse effects in the brain. Stress hormones can also cause them throughout the body, affecting, among others the level of blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

– Sorry, excess cortisol, and thus the consequences of his actions persist for years after a stressful experience – says Dr. Lena Johansson, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist at the University of Gothenburg, co-author of the study.

* Read what price we pay for the ongoing stress in my life

Many already know about the really traumatic experiences, such as participation in a war or disaster, but still a little on the impact of daily stress of everyday health.

Swedish experience is relevant only because of the fact that they were held for nearly 40 years! To participate in this research experiment was invited in 1968 women born in the years 1914, 1918, 1922 and 1930. Thus, when they were respectively 54, 50, 46 and 38 years. Women have passed many tests (including examining their mental health), while the need to include Describe the experience of surviving control, such as serious illness or death of a child, a widow, divorce, loss of a job (self or partner), alcoholism in the family, a child born out of wedlock birth etc. The list of stress factors was 18

Then every five years, women reported on the study. They were asked also about this time that tend to have anxiety, trouble sleeping, are irritable. These are symptoms that accompany chronic stress.

At the beginning of the experiment, one in four women claimed to have experienced a stressful event. A similar proportion experienced at least two such situations. One out of five of their life was at least three. The other ladies fate has touched not once or stressful events have occurred to them very often.

Testing was completed in 2005. Until then, 425 women died, in 153 (19 percent.) Developed dementia (in 104 cases it was Alzheimer’s disease). The age at which the disease made its presence known, an average of 78 years.

The most frequently mentioned by women causative agent of severe, chronic stress was a mental illness of a family member.

After a thorough analysis of the data was that in the case of women experiencing the most stressful situation between the 38th and 54 age occurred about 21 percent. higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia – about 15 percent. compared with women whose lives were in their peak spared concerns.

– Our research shows that exposure to intense or prolonged stress has serious physiological consequences. Stress can interfere with the work of many systems: nervous, immune and blood – says Dr. Lena Johansson. And he adds: – This is an interesting study. In fact suggest that therapies involving coping with stress in a group may prevent the development of Alzheimer’s.

However, the specialists in this disease have some doubts. – Factors associated with dementia are many. It’s sex, age, genetic disposition and environmental influences. It is now believed that in order to reduce risk, it is important to a healthy diet, regular exercise, abstinence from smoking, low blood pressure and cholesterol control – says Dr Simon Ridley, president of the British Society for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease. – Of course, these guidelines can also join the fight against stress – he added.

To finally confirm the strong link between stress and Alzheimer’s disease, but further research. The authors themselves admit that it has weak points, such as people react differently to stress, or they can deal with it. Besides count also experience with youth or childhood, family, in which it grows. It is also interesting whether the relation is like men.

* What causes stress and how to deal with it – 10 techniques that will help in the fight against stress