Greendale G A, Kritz-Silverstein D, Seeman T, Barrett-Connor E
Division of Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 Dec;48(12):1655-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb03878.x.
In animals, higher endogenous or exogenous corticosteroids cause neuronal dysfunction, damage, and loss, especially in the hippocampus. In humans, high cortisol levels have been linked to memory impairment.
To prospectively examine the relation between morning basal cortisol level and change in cognitive performance during an average follow-up of 2 years.
Longitudinal cohort.
Geographic community in southern California.
Between 1984 and 1987, blood for basal morning cortisol was obtained along with pertinent medical, behavioral, and physical covariates from 749 post-menopausal women, mean age 72 years, who were not taking corticosteroids or postmenopausal hormones. Cognitive function was assessed in 502 women in the period from 1988 to 1991 and repeated in 136 women in the period from 1991 to 1993.
In both age- and multiply adjusted linear regression models, higher baseline cortisol was a significant predictor of worsened category fluency. No other cognitive domain tested was related to cortisol.
These results support the hypothesis that subtle dysregulation of cortisol axis is related to memory loss. Interventions that block this pathway may provide new therapeutic options to prevent cognitive decline.
在动物中，较高的内源性或外源性皮质类固醇会导致神经元功能障碍、损伤和丧失，尤其是在海马体中。在人类中，高皮质醇水平与记忆障碍有关。
前瞻性研究晨间基础皮质醇水平与平均2年随访期间认知功能变化之间的关系。
纵向队列研究。
南加州的地理社区。
1984年至1987年期间，从749名平均年龄72岁、未服用皮质类固醇或绝经后激素的绝经后女性中获取晨间基础皮质醇血样以及相关的医学、行为和身体协变量。1988年至1991年期间对502名女性进行了认知功能评估，并于1991年至1993年期间对136名女性进行了重复评估。
在年龄和多重调整的线性回归模型中，较高的基线皮质醇是类别流畅性恶化的显著预测因素。所测试的其他认知领域均与皮质醇无关。
这些结果支持皮质醇轴细微失调与记忆丧失有关的假设。阻断该途径的干预措施可能为预防认知衰退提供新的治疗选择。
