Study Says Stress Can Lead to a Higher Risk of Dementia in Women

A study of 800 Swedish women between 1968 and 2005 found that women who suffer from midlife stress have a much higher risk of dementia, reports the Daily Journal . Factors included divorce, bereavement, job loss, and a family history of mental illness. The more stressors the women experienced, the higher the risk. Specifically, a stressful life can lead to a 21 percent elevated risk of Alzheimer's and a 15 percent higher risk of dementia. Twenty percent of the study subjects developed dementia, and 104 cases were Alzheimer's. The researchers concluded from their analysis that stress hormones, which continue to affect the brain for years after the initial stressor, may be the mechanism of increased risk. Suggested coping strategies for stress include abdominal breathing exercises, daily relaxation activities, and a focus on inner peace.