Reducing modifiable risk factors such as stress, poor diet, and physical inactivity can reduce mental decline and memory loss
Stress aids the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, according to a recent US article published in Journal of the American Medical Association (collector). Adults under stress are more likely to experience mental decline and memory loss in old age.
The new study stands out for being one of the few to evaluate a large number of patients, as the authors followed nearly 25,000 volunteers over the age of 45 over four years.
Patients underwent assessments of their stress perception and cognitive abilities. In the end, those who scored higher on stress levels performed worse on memory tests. This occurred even after accounting for variables such as socioeconomic status and other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease.
“It is not new that stress affects cognition in both an acute and chronic way, as it is considered a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” says neuroscientist Claudia Figueiredo, of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. It is associated with hormonal and inflammatory changes that can affect the brain, as well as sleep problems and a weakened immune system. Fatigue also leads to a preference for unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.
For the authors, the finding indicates the need for problem tracking and planning interventions to reduce the risk of cognitive loss in the elderly. In addition, it strengthens the hypothesis that the higher prevalence of dementia in racial and ethnic minority groups can be attributed in part to the higher levels of stress these populations experience, including lower socioeconomic status and discrimination.
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Modifiable risk factors
According to the study authors, it is estimated that a 10% to 25% reduction in modifiable risk factors, such as stress, poor diet and physical inactivity, could prevent 1.3 million cases of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide.
However, more studies are needed to understand how social and behavioral aspects of stress affect different groups in order to plan interventions that can prevent cognitive decline.
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