Stress can cause Alzheimer's

Stress can cause Alzheimer's

by Andrew Smythe

As most people know, Alzheimer's is a form of dementia that results in memory, thinking, and behavioral problems. Specific symptoms include loss of language, behavioral/mood changes, and a difficulty involved with performing daily tasks. The longer a person would have Alzheimer's, the more drastic the symptoms become. The cause of this disease is the build of a protein called amyloid-beta in the brain. Recent studies show that the protein is supported by a hormone called corticotropin, which is released when the body is under stress. 

Corticopin

The blood vessels in the brain have a protective tissue called the Brain-Blood Barrier (BBB) to regulate the energy and metabolism in the brain and the blood stream. When a person is stressed, corticotropin restricts the blood vessels in the brain in order to create an easier passage for glucose and nutrients to other parts of the body; this would allow the person to become more attentive and active during a flight or fight response. The restriction in blood vessels creates an easy passage way for the amyloid-beta proteins to travel across the brain, and cause Alzheimer's.

Dr. Matthew Campbell, Associate Professor of Genetics at Trinity College and one of the researchers involved with studying Alzheimer's, says that this study provides promise for treating Alzheimer's patients in the future. When the bloodstream is opened, it provides a clear passage way to encountering the amyloid-beta proteins. The exact means of doing this is unknown, but the hope is that if the proteins could be removed, then the effects of Alzheimer's would be hindered possibly to the point of non-existence.

First Article

Second Article