Scientists at the Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra have confirmed that chronic mild stress may be implicated in the development of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The results have been published in the scientific Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The development of sporadic AD, which makes up 95% of cases, is associated with different risk factors, both genetic and environmental. Although the main cause is ageing, chronic stress has also been connected with the onset of this disease. "Our study tries to determine if a chronic mild stress process, similar to classic everyday stress, could affect the onset of this neurodegenerative pathology. We used young mice with induced Alzheimer's that did not yet present the characteristic features of the disease. After a 6-week chronic stress protocol, we found that the animals presented severe memory loss and a significant increase in the two main AD markers: the Amyloid beta peptide  and the Tau phosphoprotein, both of which are proteins that accumulate in the brains of patients with this disease. Thus, we confirmed that mild stress, applied chronically, contributes to increasing and accelerating the main features of DA in these animals which present a genetic predisposition to develop Alzheimer's", explained Dr Mar Cuadrado, a researcher in the Neuroscience Area at CIMA and the main author of the work.

There are many studies which show that stress produces cognitive deterioration. Moreover, patients suffering from depression have memory-loss episodes and stress is one of the factors associated with depression. "In our work we have confirmed that stress can directly affect the Alzheimer's Disease markers", commented Dr Cuadrado.
 
Currently, the CIMA researchers are attempting to use these results to obtain animal models that will develop all the features of DA patients. "In this way we will be able to run trials on new molecules designed for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease".