An interesting article, Stress
boosts Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain, in the New Scientist links
stress and the risk of Alzheimers disease (in mice)
Brief periods of stress can cause a rapid rise in the brain proteins
linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study in mice.
Just three days of stress caused an abrupt 42% increase in brain
proteins thought to cause the disease. The study helps to shed light on
why people who experience great stress and anxiety appear more prone to
this illness, experts say.
The researchers relate this to experience with people, in particluar a
famous study about attitudes and longevity amongst Catholic nuns.
A previous study of nearly 800 Catholic nuns, priests and brothers
found that those plagued by negative emotions, such as depression and
anxiety, had about twice the risk of Alzheimer’s as those who took a
more laid-back approach to life.
Holtzman says the mouse experiment adds to the growing body of evidence
that reducing stress in everyday life might lower a person’s risk of
Alzheimer’s disease. He also speculates that anti-anxiety drugs might
one day have a role in the control of this illness.
I agree with everything he says until he mentions anti-anxiety drugs. He
could just have well have said meditation, relaxation techniques or EFT. Low
cost, no side-effects and much more enjoyable.
Stress boosts Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain
11:42 16 October 2006
NewScientist.com news service
Roxanne Khamsi
Brief periods of stress can cause a rapid rise in the brain proteins linked
to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study in mice.
Just three days of stress caused an abrupt 42% increase in brain proteins
thought to cause the disease. The study helps to shed light on why people who
experience great stress and anxiety appear more prone to this illness, experts
say.
Researchers placed four-month-old mice in isolation within small spaces
one-third the size of normal cages. The mice stayed in the confined setting
– which causes rodents great stress – for three days or as long as three
months.
During the course of the experiment the animals wore a special headset
device, known as a micro-dialysis probe, that periodically extracted brain
fluid for analysis.
Human dementia
David Holtzman at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, US, and
colleagues focused their attention on one molecule in particular: amyloid beta
peptide. This molecule is known to contribute to the formation of the amyloid
protein tangles and plaques that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
Previous research has linked higher levels of amyloid beta peptide with
increased risk of dementia in humans.
The team found that mice housed in the confined space for three months had
nearly twice as much amyloid beta peptide in their brain fluid than the
control mice that stayed in regular cages.
Surprisingly, after just three days of living in stressful isolation
experimental mice had 42% more amyloid beta peptide in their brain fluid than
their control counterparts.
“The fact that the effect is so fast is interesting,” says Holtzman.
Stress may cause a certain type of brain cell activation that releases amyloid
beta peptide, he says.
Spouse loss
The finding from the mouse study is an “amazing result”, according to
Rudolph Tanzi at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, US.
Tanzi says that some doctors have observed a possible link between
stressful experiences – such as the loss of a spouse – and an older
person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
A previous study of nearly 800 Catholic nuns, priests and brothers found
that those plagued by negative emotions, such as depression and anxiety, had
about twice the risk of Alzheimer’s as those who took a more laid-back
approach to life.
Holtzman says the mouse experiment adds to the growing body of evidence
that reducing stress in everyday life might lower a person’s risk of
Alzheimer’s disease. He also speculates that anti-anxiety drugs might one
day have a role in the control of this illness.
He presented the findings at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in
Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Sunday.
source: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn10305&feedId=online-news_rss20
