Chronic Stress Is Associated with High Cortisol Levels and Emotional Coping Mechanisms in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background/Aims: To investigate the association between cortisol levels, chronic stress and coping in subjects with amnestic-type mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: Cortisol levels were measured using morning saliva samples from 33 individuals with aMCI and from 41 healthy elderly. Chronic s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders 2009-12, Vol.28 (5), p.450-455
Main Authors: Souza-Talarico, J.N., Chaves, E.C., Nitrini, R., Caramelli, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological - physiology
Aged
Aging - physiology
Aging - psychology
Amnesia - blood
Amnesia - complications
Amnesia - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Chronic Disease
Cognition Disorders - blood
Cognition Disorders - complications
Cognition Disorders - psychology
Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases
Depression - blood
Depression - complications
Depression - psychology
Female
Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Male
Medical sciences
Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes)
Neurology
Original Research Article
Severity of Illness Index
Stress, Psychological - blood
Stress, Psychological - complications
Stress, Psychological - psychology
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Summary:Background/Aims: To investigate the association between cortisol levels, chronic stress and coping in subjects with amnestic-type mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: Cortisol levels were measured using morning saliva samples from 33 individuals with aMCI and from 41 healthy elderly. Chronic stress was evaluated with the Stress Symptoms List (SSL), whereas coping strategies were assessed using the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Results: aMCI subjects with high SSL scores presented higher cortisol levels (p = 0.045). Furthermore, aMCI subjects who employed emotion-focused coping had higher SSL scores (p = 0.023). Conclusion: The association between increased cortisol secretion, chronic stress and coping strategies may be modulated by the presence or absence of cognitive impairment, where memory defi- cit awareness constitutes an additional potential factor involved in high stress severity.
ISSN:1420-8008
1421-9824
DOI:10.1159/000259696