NEW YORK CITY, Ny – About 470,000 Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every year. Many of them first experience a mild problem with memory loss called a ‘pre-dementia’ condition, and researchers say stress is a major contributing factor to pre-dementia. In a recent study of over 2,000 seniors, those who constantly were stressed out by the small every day hassles were twice as likely to be at risk for mild brain impairment or, pre-Alzheimer’s disease. Now, researchers are working to identify those most at risk.
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When 63-year-old Kathy Blount needs to unplug, she plugs in her headphones.
Blount said “I love new age music!”
For the past few years, Blount has been concerned about her memory. She watched her mother struggle with dementia and is now beginning to notice subtle changes in herself.
“If I become too overwhelmed, I begin to forget some of the priorities,” Blount explained.
Researchers are now using specially programmed smart phones to study people like Blount and the effects of stress on cognition, aging, physiology and emotions. It’s called the escape study.
Five times a day, the phone will ring and prompt participants to answer a series of questions about their mental health and stress level.
“In real time; in their home environment or work environment,” said Mindy Katz, M.P.H, a senior associate in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
They’re also required to play electronic brain games to test their memory and judgement.
Katz said, “It really captures a true measure of what we’re trying to get at.”
Researchers are hoping to learn exactly how everyday life experiences lead to stress and what can be done to prevent it from negatively affecting the brain.
“If I’m finding myself incapacitated at some point, I’d like to know so I can prepare,” said Blount.
Participants in the study also give hair and blood samples so researchers can measure levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their systems. Since stress is treatable, they believe understanding all factors that impact cognitive health might help delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s.