Women who suffer mid-life stress are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who lead a normal life.
Women who suffer mid-life stress are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who lead a normal life.
Past studies have shown that stress increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. To analyse the relationship between psychological stress in midlife and the development of dementia in late-life, researchers studied 1,462 Swedish women aged between 38 and 60 years. The data regarding the stress was collected thrice in 35 years through three surveys. Stress was defined as a sense of irritation, tension, nervousness, anxiety, fear or sleeping problems lasting a month or more due to work, health, family or other problems.
After 35 years of follow up, it was found that 161 of the participants developed dementia, mainly in the form of Alzheimer's disease. The risk of dementia was 65 percent higher in women who reported repeated periods of stress in middle age than in those who did not. In women who reported stress in all three surveys, the risk was more than double.
Though the study shows a definite association between stress in middle age and development of dementia in later life, more studies are needed to confirm the findings and to study potential neurobiological mechanisms of these associations.
Past studies have shown that stress increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. To analyse the relationship between psychological stress in midlife and the development of dementia in late-life, researchers studied 1,462 Swedish women aged between 38 and 60 years. The data regarding the stress was collected thrice in 35 years through three surveys. Stress was defined as a sense of irritation, tension, nervousness, anxiety, fear or sleeping problems lasting a month or more due to work, health, family or other problems.
After 35 years of follow up, it was found that 161 of the participants developed dementia, mainly in the form of Alzheimer's disease. The risk of dementia was 65 percent higher in women who reported repeated periods of stress in middle age than in those who did not. In women who reported stress in all three surveys, the risk was more than double.
Though the study shows a definite association between stress in middle age and development of dementia in later life, more studies are needed to confirm the findings and to study potential neurobiological mechanisms of these associations.
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