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Review
. 2019 Jan-Mar;13(1):11-21.
doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-010002.

How stress mediators can cumulatively contribute to Alzheimer's disease An allostatic load approach

Tatiane Martins Matos  1 , Juliana Nery De Souza-Talarico  2
Affiliations
Review

How stress mediators can cumulatively contribute to Alzheimer's disease An allostatic load approach

Tatiane Martins Matos et al. Dement Neuropsychol. 2019 Jan-Mar.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Allostatic load is defined as the frequent activation of the neuroendocrine, immunological, metabolic and cardiovascular systems, which makes individuals more susceptible to stress-related health problems. According to this model, physiological dysregulations start to emerge decades before diseases manifest. Consequently, stress research has shifted its attention to anticipating the degree of this dysregulation to better understand the impact of stress hormones and other biomarkers on disease progression. In view of the growing number of studies that demonstrate the influence of modifiable risk factors on cognitive decline, in addition to the effects of chronic stress mediators, the objective of the present review was to present an overview of the development of cognitive changes based on studies on stress and its mediators.

A carga alostática é definida como a ativação frequente dos sistemas neuroendócrino, imunológico, metabólico e cardiovascular, o que torna os indivíduos mais suscetíveis a problemas de saúde relacionados ao estresse. Segundo este modelo, as desregulações fisiológicas começam a surgir décadas antes das doenças se manifestarem. Consequentemente, a pesquisa de estresse tem desviado sua atenção para antecipar o grau de desregulação para entender melhor o impacto dos hormônios do estresse e outros biomarcadores na progressão da doença. Tendo em vista o crescente número de estudos que demonstram a influência de fatores de risco modificáveis no declínio cognitivo, além dos efeitos dos mediadores crônicos do estresse, o objetivo da presente revisão foi apresentar uma visão geral do desenvolvimento de alterações cognitivas a partir de estudos sobre o estresse e seus mediadores.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; allostatic load; cognitive decline; memory; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Factors associated with Amyloid-beta peptide accumulation. Chronic stress may constitute another factor that contributes to the accumulation of toxic amyloid beta in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Betaamyloid peptide accumulation promotes the formation of pathological tau tangles that lead to synaptic dysfunction and memory-supporting neuron death, impairing cognitive performance.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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