A study found long-term effects of stress may be the biggest cause of the disease / Posed by model

Even the trauma of bereavement or moving home could bring on dementia. Scientists funded by the Alzheimer’s Society are investigating the link and hope their findings could lead to new drug treatments to fight the disease. A study at the University of Kuopio in Finland has found that the long-term effects of stress may be the biggest cause of the disease. When stressed, our blood pressure rises as our heart beats faster and levels of the hormone cortisol in the bloodstream also increase. Experts believe once cortisol enters the brain it starts to kill off cells there, leading to Alzheimer’s.

All of us go through stressful events. We are looking to understand how these may become a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s Professor Clive Holmes at the University of Southampton

• New battle to cure dementia • Exercise cuts dementia risk Professor Clive Holmes at the University of Southampton, who is leading the new research, said: “All of us go through stressful events. 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.

“We are looking at two aspects of stress relief – physical and psychological – and the body’s response to that experience.” The study will monitor 140 people aged over 50 with mild memory problems over 18 months. They will be assessed for levels of stress and any movement from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. About 60 per cent of those with this impairment go on to develop Alzheimer’s. The study is part of a £1.5million package of six grants being given by the charity to find the cause of the disease, a cure and a way to prevent it.

Alzheimer’s Society research manager Anne Corbett said: “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.” Research has shown that stressed middle-aged women are 65 per cent more likely to develop dementia.

Scientists at Gothenberg University in Sweden found those who complained of repeated periods of stress, including irritation, anxiety or sleeping problems were significantly more likely to develop dementia in old age than those who led worry-free lives. As part of the new study, researchers will track the volunteers’ levels of cortisol, released by the body in response to chronic stress. A number of illnesses are known to develop earlier or made worse by chronic stress including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis. Stress can lead to high blood pressure which increases the risk of a heart attack because the heart has to work harder to pump more blood around the body. Cholesterol is also linked to the condition as it is a by-product of cortisol.