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Research recently presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference showed a link between stressful events in childhood and early adulthood and cognitive decline in later years.
The Study
The longitudinal study used individuals registered with the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. The participants were assessed for cognitive function every two years. The researchers measured six cognitive domains that focused on executive function and memory. As well, the participating individuals were asked about 27 stressful events in their lives.
The stressful events included childhood events such as having an alcoholic parent, experiencing a divorce of your parents, the death of a sibling, dropping out of school, physical or sexual assault. Adult events such as divorce, bankruptcy, being fired from a job, and experiencing combat were also included in the questionnaire.
The researchers looked at the effect of stressful events on later cognitive decline and found a highly significant association across the entire group between stressful events and cognitive decline. The study analysis controlled for factors like smoking and higher body mass index which also impact cognitive decline.
This study highlights the growing body of evidence that the risk of cognitive decline develops over a lifetime. A lifetime of choices either build cognitive resilience or increase risk. But the study also highlights the effect of the social environment on brain health. Our social structures, particularly those within the family, have a huge impact on future cognitive decline. Creating a supportive family dynamic can go a long way towards supporting brain health. The impact of a positive family environment resonates in the lives of your children even when they have moved on into their adult years.
Most stressful life events are outside of our control. We may choose to place ourselves in highly stressful situations, like combat, but most events are not chosen. Our reaction to those unexpected events becomes important for future brain health.
One way to combat stress in our lives is through development of our spiritual lives. Fostering a spiritual life will create a resilient response to stressful events. When we have a larger framework within which to understand stressful life events, we can reduce their impact on us.
This is particularly effective if we have a strong sense that God is looking after us. When my husband was deployed overseas, I had a strong sense that God was looking after me and that everything would be okay. This helped me maintain a sense of serenity, which I could pass on to my children. I didn’t know at the time that I was also positively impacting both their and my brain health.
A strong spiritual life also gives us a horizon that includes eternity. When you lose someone you love, knowing that you will see a loved one again diminishes the pain of loss. Instead of despair there is hope.
Controlling for other lifestyle factors is another way to compensate for stressful life events. We know that physical exercise and good nutrition have a positive impact on brain health. When faced with job loss or financial distress, ensuring that you are getting adequate exercise will have a positive impact on stress levels and the quality of sleep.
Nutrition also plays an important role in brain health. Researchers have developed the Brain Essential Nutrient scale as a way to identify important nutrients for brain health.
Eating well and the physical activity you engage in are two ways you can positively impact brain health and reduce the impact of stressful life events.
Our lives are complex. Events, and responses to those events, have a lifelong impact on us. Ensuring that you meet stressful life events with a focus on reducing their effects will have a positive impact on brain health. Eat well, exercise and develop your inner life. You will build your cognitive resilience and reduce your dementia risk. Plus you will just enjoy life more!
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