SAN FRANCISCO: Taking more time out to relax with loved ones or a good book may just help reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests.
Australian researchers have found a potential link between high levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the brain disease.
Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced by the body in response to stress.
Scientists from the School of Medical and Health Sciences at WA’s Edith Cowan University working in conjuction with scientists from Yale University in the US measured the cortisol and memory function of 416 healthy adults over six years.
They also scanned the brains of the participants to measure their levels of brain plaque Amyloid Beta (Ab).
The accumulation of Ab in the brain is closely associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.