Dr. Adams
01-13-2007, 01:55 PM
Higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, as reflected by increased levels of plasma cortisol, is associated with more rapid disease progression in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia. Studies of subjects with dementia of the Alzheimer type have reported correlations between increases in activity of the HPA axis and hippocampal degeneration.
In patients with dementia, higher plasma cortisol levels were associated with more rapidly increasing symptoms of dementia. Higher plasma cortisol levels were also linked to more rapidly decreasing performance on neuropsychological tests associated with temporal lobe function. No such associations were observed with non-demented subjects.
Plasma cortisol levels were not associated with clinical and cognitive assessments obtained at the single assessment closest in time to collection of plasma. This suggests that "increased cortisol levels were associated with more rapid rates of disease progression rather than the severity of disease.
The findings fit with the hypothesis that stress increases glucocorticoid levels and accelerates Alzheimer's disease progression. If so, it would give impetus to therapeutic approaches ... to decrease stress and levels of stress-related glucocorticoid hormones, the researchers conclude.
Am J Psychiatry 2006;163:2164-2169.
In patients with dementia, higher plasma cortisol levels were associated with more rapidly increasing symptoms of dementia. Higher plasma cortisol levels were also linked to more rapidly decreasing performance on neuropsychological tests associated with temporal lobe function. No such associations were observed with non-demented subjects.
Plasma cortisol levels were not associated with clinical and cognitive assessments obtained at the single assessment closest in time to collection of plasma. This suggests that "increased cortisol levels were associated with more rapid rates of disease progression rather than the severity of disease.
The findings fit with the hypothesis that stress increases glucocorticoid levels and accelerates Alzheimer's disease progression. If so, it would give impetus to therapeutic approaches ... to decrease stress and levels of stress-related glucocorticoid hormones, the researchers conclude.
Am J Psychiatry 2006;163:2164-2169.