Chronic stress is one of the worse amenies for our mental health. It influences tremendiously our mood, our sleep quality, our abilites to think and react, and our energy level. All of these are our body’s reaction to stress, which involves the HPA axis ((hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis). Of course, how we react to the same stressors, is not the same as it depends on our environmental factors and our genes.

A recent study investigated this complex connection between chronic stress, HPA axis, environmental and genetic factors and came to conclusion that chronic stress may also contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers found that genetic variations within HPA axis can influence the way the brain’s immune system acts on stress, leading to a chronic disruption of normal brain processes. The way the genes influence the HPA axis, may increase inflammation and promote a neurotoxic environment resulting in neurodegeneration and ultimately in Alzheimer’s disease.

So, if you want to minimize your risk of Alzheimer’s, try to manage your stress in any suitable way for you. It will not only improve your current mental state but also will contribute to your healthy older years!

Curious? HERE is the source