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Health See other Health Articles Title: Stressful Lifestyles May Cause Alzheimer's Comment Posted by Angela Guss - Thursday, June 28th, 2012 Stress can take a serious toll on our bodies. And it affects everyone in a different way... The American Institute of Stress reports there are 50 common signs and symptoms of stress. Some of these include, frequent headaches, insomnia, increased or decreased appetite and overreaction to petty annoyances. According to a group of Finnish researchers at the University of Kuopio, living a stressful lifestyle may have more long-term effects on our health then just a few sleepless nights. Long-term effects of stress may be the biggest cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Funded by the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK, scientists hope the results of a new study will lead to new drug treatments to fight the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia — a loss of brain function — that gradually gets worse over time, affecting memory, thinking and behavior. When stressed, our blood pressure rises as our heart beats faster, causing an increase in the level of the hormone cortisol in the bloodstream. Experts believe once cortisol enters the brain it starts to kill off cells, leading to Alzheimer’s. The Finnish researchers found patients with high blood pressure and high cortisol levels were more than three times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those without these conditions. “All of us go through stressful events,” said Professor Clive Holmes at the University of Southampton, who is leading the new research. “We are looking to understand how these may become a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s. Bereavement or a traumatic experience, possibly even moving home, is also a potential factor. This is the first stage in developing ways in which to intervene with psychological or drug-based treatments to fight the disease.” The study is looking at two aspects of stress relief – physical and psychological – and the body’s response to that experience, he noted. Alzheimer’s Society research manager Anne Corbett went on to explain, “The study will look at the role chronic stress plays in the progression from mild thinking and memory problems – mild cognitive impairment – to Alzheimer’s disease." “We feel this is an important area of research that needs more attention. The results could offer clues to new treatments or better ways of managing the condition." “It will also be valuable to understand how different ways of coping with stressful life events could influence the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.” And an important area of research it is. According to the Alzheimer’s Organization in the U.S., there are 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only cause of death among the top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured, or slowed. A group of Swedish scientists have come closer than ever to a cure for Alzheimer's after the success of their new vaccine in clinical trials. You can read about their vaccine here: http://health.wealthwire.com/news/health/3332 +3 Poster Comment: Another reason to get rid of meddlesome, stress-causing bureaucrats like they have been doing in the Arab Spring in the Middle East. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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