Increased levels of perceived stress may be associated with cognitive decline

According to a study published in , high levels of perceived stress were 1.37 times more likely to have cognitive decline, regardless of race. JAMA network openAt long-term follow-up, incident cognitive impairment (ICI), defined as the transition from intact cognition to impaired cognition from the first assessment to the last assessment, was also associated with perceived stress. .

“Understanding the link between perceived stress and cognitive function in different subgroups is important in designing targeted interventions, and could have a substantial impact on public health,” said the study. The author writes

Studies have shown that not only is perceived stress associated with cognitive decline, but perceived stress may be a precursor to cognitive decline. May have long-term effects on functionality.

It is a modifiable risk factor associated with cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, accelerated aging, poor cardiovascular health, sleep disturbances and immune dysfunction. Perceived stress can also exacerbate unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and physical activity.

“Perceived stress is defined as the result of an event or demand that exceeds an individual’s professed coping capacity,” the study’s authors wrote. “Perceived stress can have long-term physiological and psychological consequences and has been shown to be a modifiable risk factor for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.” Excessive stress is associated with hormonal and inflammatory markers of accelerated aging and excessive risk of cardiovascular and stroke morbidity and mortality, as well as sleep disturbances and decreased immune function. increase.”

Low socioeconomic status and stress from discrimination may contribute to the increased incidence of dementia among racial and ethnic minority groups. However, there are few long-term studies investigating stress and cognitive impairment in different populations.

“Understanding the social and behavioral complexities associated with stress and unhealthy behavior by race and ethnicity can help point to interventions to prevent the progression of cognitive impairment,” said the study authors. I am writing in my thesis.

Researchers evaluated a cohort of 24,448 participants (black and white) aged 45 years and older to participate in the Geographical and Racial Reasons for Stroke Differences (REGARDS) study. They assessed the prevalence of perceived stress and her association with ICI. There, perceived stress was measured using his four-item version of the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. Insights were also gleaned into the influence of race, gender and age on this association.

22.9% of participants reported increased stress levels, which are associated with worsening cognitive function. Sociodemographic variables, CVD risk factors, lifestyle factors, and depressive symptoms did not appear to modulate the strength of this association.

Despite these findings, cardiovascular disease risk factors were more common in participants who reported higher levels of perceived stress. This confirms previous research that observed an association with elevation.

A first limitation of this study is that the researchers used a simplified version of the questionnaire to measure stress and depressive symptoms. Participation rates were also less than half, limiting the generalizability of findings, more than one-third of his cognitive data were missing at follow-up, and perceived stress was absent in patients without severe cognitive impairment or dementia. Rated.

“The findings from our study may have important clinical applications, such as routine screening for stress in high-risk older adults exhibiting cognitive decline in primary care,” said the study. The author writes

reference

[ PubMed ][ Cross Ref ]Kulshreshtha A, Alonso A, McClure L and others. Associations between stress and cognitive function in older black and white US adults. JAMA net opened. 2023;6(3):e231860.doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1860