Stress in Midlife Linked to Higher Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-30/stress-in-midlife-linked-to-higher-risk-of-alzheimer-s-disease.html

Stress in middle age may contribute to development of Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a Swedish study spanning almost 40 years.

Psychological stress was associated with a 21 percent greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study of 800 Swedish women born between 1914 and 1930 who underwent neuropsychiatric tests periodically between 1968 and 2005. The research, led by Lena Johansson at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg was published today in the journal BMJ Open.

“This suggests that common psychosocial stressors may have severe and long-standing physiological and psychological consequences,” the authors said in the published paper.

The research points to a potential non-medical approach to preventing some cases of dementia, which afflicts at least 35.6 million people globally, according to the Geneva-based World Health Organization. No drugs on the market have been shown to slow progression of the disease. While more studies are needed to confirm the results, interventions such as stress management and behavioral therapy should be investigated, the authors said.

[DURHAM D]

1. This sounds like total bs.

[mopinko]

2. alzheimers looks a lot like severe stress in the early stages.

people start getting frustrated by the decline pretty quick.
associated. period.