BOSTON: New research has found a possible link between an increase in levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Perth measured the cortisol level and memory function of 416 healthy adults over six years.
They also scanned their brains to measure their levels of amyloid beta, a protein strongly associated with the development of Alzheimer’s.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Simon Laws said the study showed that among adults with high levels of amyloid beta in their brain, those with higher cortisol levels experienced a greater rate of memory decline than those with low levels of cortisol.