If you have this type of job, you could be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s

Burnout from stress may be the least of your concerns, according to a new study. Researchers found that habitual stress can have an effect on the brain’s immune system which can play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The connection between stress and Alzheimer’s

The researchers from Curtin University in Perth, Australia found that it is the response of the brain pathway called the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis to stress, that is linked to Alzheimer’s.

“Genetic variations within these pathways can influence the way the brain’s immune system behaves, leading to a dysfunctional response. In the brain, this leads to chronic disruption of normal brain processes, increasing the risk of subsequent neurodegeneration and ultimately dementia,” David Groth, PhD, a senior author of the study and an associate professor at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, in a statement.

The HPA axis encompasses the interaction between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. When something stressful happens to you, first the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and releases epinephrine and norepinephrine which gives you those stress and anxious feelings (think accelerated heart rate and sweating.) Then just a few seconds later the HPA axis is stimulated and starts producing the steroid hormone cortisol. The higher your stress level, the more the HPA axis is stimulated and the more cortisol is produced.

The connection here is that cases of this neurodegenerative disease often exhibit a dysregulated HPA axis and advanced levels of cortisol. The researchers also found an HPA axis damaged by stress can impact brain inflammation which leads to neuron deterioration. Weakened neurons are commonly seen in Alzheimer’s patients.

Your lifestyle can put you at higher risk for Alzheimer’s

Studies proposing that lifestyle and environmental factors can play a strong role in the development of Alzheimer’s have been well-publicized for years. It should be noted that stress, perhaps from a high-powered career, cannot cause Alzheimer’s alone, but it can play a role in putting a person at higher risk for it.

According to Dr. Irina Skylar-Scott, a clinical assistant professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University, chronic stress from something like your job, may weaken the brain’s immune system making it harder to handle the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms.

The research was published in Biological Reviews in June 2021.

Here are a few tips on how to fend off the development of dementia in your daily life:

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