Story highlights High levels of stress hormones are linked to memory loss, study says

Effects are evident in mid-life years, before symptoms appear

(CNN) Listen up, gen-Xers and millennials, and, well, everybody who has a brain. If you live a high-stress life, you could have memory loss and brain shrinkage before you turn 50, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology.

"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.

"We found memory loss and brain shrinkage in relatively young people long before any symptoms could be seen," Seshadri said. "It's never too early to be mindful of reducing stress."

Too much 'flight or fight'

Cortisol is one of the body's key stress hormones, best known for its role in our "flight or fight" instincts. When we are stressed and on high alert, the adrenal glands produce more cortisol. The hormone then goes to work shutting down various bodily functions that might get in the way of survival.

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