Orange County, CA - November 2nd, 2018 - Stress affects everyone; certain individuals learn to cope with it more effectively than others. Long-term stress can suppress your immune, digestive, sleep, and reproductive systems, which may cause them to stop working regularly.
Cortisol is often called the "stress hormone" because of its connection to the stress response. However, cortisol is much more than just a hormone released during stress. The stress hormone also curbs functions that may be detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation, alters responses in the immune system and suppresses the digestive and reproductive systems. Cortisol levels influence regions of the brain that control mood, motivation, and fear.
A new study, published in the journal Neurology, suggests stress is associated with impaired memory and reduced brain size. If you live a stressful life, you could have memory loss and brain shrinkage before you turn 50."Higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, seem to predict brain function, brain size and performance on cognitive tests," said study author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, professor of neurology at UT Health San Antonio.
Cortisol rises in blood when the body faces repeat warnings that instruct the body to be at the ready for “fight or flight.” The hormone then shuts down bodily functions and focuses on the “posed danger”. After the critical situation is over, the cortisol levels should drop, and the functions of the body should begin again. When that doesn’t happen, the cortisol levels stay high and trigger the body for threats, leading problems with various functions, anxiety, heart disease, depression, weight gain or loss, difficulty sleeping, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and memory impairment. The study researchers say the brain is especially vulnerable because it is vital that the brain receives nutrients to function normally.
"The brain is a very hungry organ. It requires an outsized amount of nutrients and oxygen to keep it healthy and functioning properly. So, when the body needs those resources to deal with stress, there's less to go around to the brain," said Keith Fargo, who directs scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association.Prior research studies found a relationship between cortisol and dementia risk, with the focus on the elderly and the memory area of the brain (the hippocampus). The new study completed MRI brain scans of the entire brain of a group of men and women, with an average age of 48. To measure their thinking skills, researchers chose 2,231 individuals with no signs of dementia and gave them various psychological exams.
The study also added that those with a raised level of cortisol also had more damage to parts of the brain that carry information across to different parts of the brain (corona radiata), and the section between the two brain hemispheres (the corpus callosum). Higher cortisol levels had smaller cerebrum, for that reason the brain capacity reduced. Total cerebrum brain volume was 88.7 and 88.5 in people with normal and high levels. The changes were among middle-aged individuals. It seemed to affect women more than men; Estrogen or the female hormone could play a role.
Dr. Seshadri emphasized that the study only shows an association, not a cause, and more research is needed to figure out the relationship between high cortisol levels and dementia. Study authors suggest people consider lifestyle modifications to fight the stress of life.
