New Delhi: A new study has found that elevated stress levels during midlife may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in women after menopause. Conducted by scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the research highlights the role of the stress hormone cortisol in accelerating the development of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes.
Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the study analyzed data from 305 cognitively healthy individuals in Massachusetts over a 15-year period. Researchers measured participants’ cortisol levels during midlife and compared them with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers detected later in life. The findings revealed a strong association between higher cortisol levels and increased amyloid plaque buildup in postmenopausal women—one of the key indicators of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our results emphasize the need to identify early risk factors while biomarkers are detectable but cognitive symptoms have not yet emerged,” said Arash Salardini, Associate Professor at UT Health San Antonio. The study found no significant link between cortisol levels and Alzheimer’s markers in men or with the accumulation of tau protein, another hallmark of the disease.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone that plays a crucial role in the body’s response to stress and maintaining cellular balance. However, chronic high cortisol levels have long been suspected of contributing to brain changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
The researchers hypothesized that cortisol’s impact on Alzheimer’s risk would be greater in women, particularly following menopause due to changes in hormone levels. Their findings support this theory, suggesting that hormonal shifts after menopause may intensify cortisol’s effects on the brain, particularly in promoting amyloid plaque formation.
Sudha Seshadri, senior author of the study, stressed the importance of considering sex and hormonal status in Alzheimer’s research. “Our work suggests that stress reduction and hormonal interventions could play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s, especially in women who are at greater risk,” she said.
The study’s authors called for further research to explore whether early changes in amyloid plaque due to elevated cortisol eventually lead to cognitive decline and dementia. They also emphasized the potential for using cortisol levels as a biomarker to identify at-risk individuals before symptoms appear.
These findings add to growing evidence that managing stress and understanding hormonal changes are key components in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s, particularly among aging women.