Chronic stress may lead to dementia, study
Posted on: 23/Jan/2016 5:59:26 PM
Those who suffer with chronic stress and anxiety levels are prone to developing depression or even dementia, say a recent study. It is very common to experience stress or fear in our day to day life. This is fine as long as it is occasional and lasts for short period. Example: anxiety before exam, or stress before an interview, and so on.
The problem arises when such emotional reactions turn persistent and chronic and begins to affect daily activities of an individual, affecting his work, academics or relationship, say Rotman research.
Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences in Canada
Chronic stress is a state that results due to persistent acute levels of physiological stress response. This may even cause havoc to immune, metabolic and cardiovascular systems. The condition may even result in atrophy of brain`s hippocampus which is a vital part in long-term memory and navigation.
The researchers studied the neuricircuitry of fear and anxiety that largely affected at the time of exposure to severe stress levels. Similar patterns of such abnormal brain activity with fear or anxiety and stress particularly overactive amygdale and under active PFC were observed.
According to the results of the research, there were extensive overlap of brain`s neurocircuitry found in all three conditions. This explains the way in which chronic stress and neuropsychiatric disorders are linked to each other. This is inclusive of Alzheimer`s disease, say researchers.
There is a relationship between pathological anxiety and chronic stress with the structural degeneration and abnormal functioning of hippocampus in the prefrontal cortex. This may be the reason for increased likeliness of the incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depress or dementia.
There is also possibility for anti-depressant treatments and physical activities to increase hippocampal neurogenesis. The results of the research were published on the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
