Midlife Stress Linked To Increased Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Stressful life events (SLEs), especially during midlife, are linked to higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and neuroinflammation in later life according to research in biomarkers related to AD. The research included results from lumbar punctures and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect gray matter brain volume and levels of β-amyloid protein, the hallmark of AD. Individuals with a history of psychiatric disorders appeared to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of SLEs. In this group, increased stress was associated with higher levels of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins, which are also associated with AD. Additionally, these individuals . . .