Neurology, Addiction and Psychiatry Conference

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS are serious disorders in which neuron structure and function progressively degenerate and lead to debilitative cognitive and motor symptoms. Stress is a critical, underappreciated factor in the progression of these diseases.

Chronic stress has a profound effect on the brain, and the neurological pathways can be affected. Stress within the body results in the stimulation of the HPA axis, connecting the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. After the stimulation of HPA axis, cortisol, the most significant stress hormone, is released. Cortisol is used for regulating stress; however, when its levels continue to be elevated in the body for a prolonged period, it results in the damage of neurons, especially in the areas that are most vulnerable to neurodegeneration - the hippocampus and the frontal cortex.

Such stress has been proven to hasten the creation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles that characterize Alzheimer's disease. Similarly, in the case of Parkinson's disease, it has been proven that stress is a contributing factor in the death of dopamine-secreting neurons that cause motor loss. In the case of ALS, stress has proved to hasten the degeneration of motor neurons, thereby worsening muscle weakness as well as functional impairment.

Understanding the connection between stress and neurodegenerative diseases would give a good foundation to the approach for prevention and treatment. Studies have shown that there is a developing therapeutic approach that managing stress is a key intervention for patients experiencing such diseases. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and regular physical exercise have the effect of reducing levels of stress and improving cognitive function in certain cases. Another useful intervention includes cognitive-behavioral therapy-which, as an intervention focused on teaching patients healthier coping mechanisms, reduces stress.

Medications that change the response of stress, such as SSRIs and anxiolytics, are being studied for their neuroprotective actions. Stress, well-managed, may well minimize the decrease in neurodegenerative diseases so that the quality of life is maintained in the patients.

Thus, it appears that stress accelerates neurodegenerative disease and that the inclusion of any mechanism of stress management in treatment designs may provide an avenue for the reversal of disease progression and improved patient outcomes.