Stress May Play A Role In Alzheimer's

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A concerning report about the link between stress and Alzheimer's from the journal Neurology.

According to the article which focused on women, midlife stress can be linked to higher rates of Alzheimer's. The researchers followed 800 women for 38 years and surveyed them about stress and personality in six-year intervals.

But why would this be the case?

According to the researchers, stress and personality may influence a person's lifestyle choices, which could lead to Alzheimer's.

Stress was defined to the participants as irritability, tension, nervousness, fear, anxiety or sleep disturbances. There was no mention of jealousy, contrary to a press release on the research.

There are people who argue with the study and say that this is difficult to prove but my feeling is we can learn from this. We know that stress is associated with numerous health issues. Why not try to reduce that kind of pressure and let this be just one of the reasons.