My Alzheimer's Journey

Part 22 - The Role of Stress As A Trigger for AD

In previous articles, I have shared my research findings about the connection of migraines, and depression to Alzheimer’s Disease. Today, I want to talk about the role of chronic stress as a trigger for AD.

According to the American Institute of Stress, “stress is the body’s nonspecific response to any demand – pleasant or unpleasant.” I always think of stress as a negative emotion caused by a negative event. While researching for this article, I learned about eustress - a beneficial or good stress.

It is the unpleasant variety of stress that plays a role in AD development.

In a January 2024 report, Swedish researchers stated that stress can actually chip away at your brain’s cognitive defenses. This reduction in cognitive defenses puts you at a higher risk for dementia. This comprehensive study looked at the relationship between cognitive reserve (CR) and stress. Your cognitive reserve is built from performing mentally stimulating educational, social, and physical activities. Researchers have long believed that your CR serves as a buffer or protective shield, potentially protecting our brains from the symptoms of dementia - even when physical signs of the disease are present. The Swedish research found that high or persistent levels of stress undermines the CR benefits.

A report in Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience (October 22, 2020), discusses the role of chronic stress as a trigger for AD. This report references numerous research studies to draw the conclusion that, “there is evidence that chronic stress can accelerate aging that is the main risk factor for AD.”

Dr. Nicholas Justice, a professor at the IMM - Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases at the McGovern Medical School in Houston, Texas has devoted most of his career to studying the impact stress has on the brain. Most recently, his research has focused on how stress during the earliest stages of AD predicts accelerated disease progression. He published an article in 2018, that explores how stress has a detrimental effect on the ability of people “to heal, cope and maintain a positive quality of life” - especially, those with neurodegenerative diseases.

After learning that it is crystal clear that stress is a driver of early stage AD, I began wondering if stress has been a significant cause of my AD.

In October 2023, I slipped and fell on a wet boardwalk at a campground in Beaufort, South Carolina. My injuries were significant. I tore my right rotator cuff. In a blink of an eye, I could no longer work as a carpenter. Our home renovations and repair business was experiencing steady growth at that point. I actively worked as a carpenter alongside other carpenters and trades people. In fact, I was in Beaufort with an employee building a new deck when I fell on the poorly maintained boardwalk.

Since I could no longer engage in physical labor, we had to hire someone to fill my shoes on job sites. This additional cost caused significant financial strain on the business. That financial strain resulted in unbelievable unpleasant stress for me.

Could that stress have triggered or accelerated my Alzheimer’s disease?

I guess the real takeaway from this article is that the old saying,“Stress will kill you,” is in fact true.