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The high level of stress is more important than ever in today's world. Although it is generally known that stress contributes to health problems ranging from high blood pressure to diabetes, it can also lead to memory loss and narrowing of the brain.
UT Health San Antonio has announced that a study has revealed in what a higher rate of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, has a negative effect on adults over 40 years of age during a memory test or cognitive tasks.
Sudha Sesadri, MD, professor of neurology at UT Health in San Antonio, lead author of the study, said that although we already know that stressed animals may experience cognitive decline, higher levels High levels of cortisol in humans, especially in the morning, are associated with brain structure degradation and cognition.
Cortisol is one of the key stress hormones of the human body, and is best known for its "fight or flight" instinct. CNN points out. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing more of this hormone, which closes various bodily functions that can hinder survival, sometimes allowing humans to perform almost unbelievable feats.
Cortisol levels normally go down once the emergency is over, allowing the functions that it had stopped in the body to start working again, which means you are back to normal. However, if you do not let your stress level drop, your body experiences high levels of cortisol, which does not allow the return of normal functions.
This would lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, headaches and sleep disorders, as the brain lacks the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
"The brain is a very hungry organ. It needs an inordinate amount of nutrients and oxygen to stay healthy and function properly. So when the body needs these resources to cope with stress, there are fewer ways to get to the brain, "said Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer's Association.
In addition, the study also showed that higher levels of cortisol in the blood were also associated with reduced brain volume.
High levels of cortisol were found to be aligned with further damage to the corona radiata (parts of the brain responsible for transmitting information) and the corpus callosum (the area between the two hemispheres of the brain).
Read also: Six Ways to Manage Office Stress and Stay Productive
The study also found that brains from people with higher levels of cortisol had developed a smaller brain – responsible for thought, emotions, speech, and muscle function. People with high levels of cortisol had 88.5% of total brain volume, compared to 88.7% of people with normal cortisol levels.
In the article published by CNN, it was also noted that the effects of a high rate of cortisol on cerebral cerebral volume seemed to affect only women.
Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine, said estrogen may increase cortisol levels.
"About 40% of women in the high cortisol group in the study were on hormone replacement therapy," said Dr. Isaac.
Seshadri stresses, however, that the findings should not have a negative impact on the use of hormone replacement therapy and points out that the results of the study will likely show an association between cortisol levels and the loss of rather than the hormonal causes of dementia.
She suggests that further research is needed to further study the high levels of cortisol and their effects on the brain. (acr / mut)
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