July 23, 2025
The death of a partner, the loss of a job and money worries are among the major life stressors that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in middle age and beyond. But chronic stress may affect the brains of men and women in different ways, altering the likelihood that someone will ultimately develop dementia, two new reports suggest.
The first study, from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, looked at a range of stressful life events and how they impact the brain. Researchers studied 1,200 men and women whose average age was around 60. All were free of dementia or other serious memory problems, although most had family members who had Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers interviewed study participants about major stresses they had experienced in their lives, including financial setbacks, family deaths, major illnesses, abuse or the loss of a pregnancy. They also performed MRI brain scans and tests of cerebrospinal fluid to look for markers and brain changes indicative of an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Such markers included changes in levels of certain proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid, such as tau or beta-amyloid, both hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as loss of gray matter volume in the brain.
Three major life stresses stood out in terms of increased Alzheimer’s risk: the death of a spouse or partner (versus the loss of a mother or father); the loss of a job; and chronic financial worries. These life stresses were associated with brain and nervous system changes that indicated an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Interestingly, major life stresses appeared to affect men and women differently. Men seemed to be most negatively affected by the loss of a partner or the loss of a job. “This may be because men tend to have fewer close relationships, making the loss of a partner more isolating, and because unemployment carries a greater social stigma for men,” said Eider Arenaza-Urquijo, the study’s senior author.
“On the other hand, women seem more vulnerable to financial difficulties,” Dr. Arenaza-Urquijo continued. “This could be related to the fact that women have historically had less financial security, and that they tend to report higher levels of economic concern, which negatively impacts their overall mental well-being.”
The findings, published in the journal Neurology, dovetail with the results of a second report published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. That study found that a high level of ongoing stress in middle age was more likely to affect the brains of women than men.
For the study, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio analyzed health records of 305 men and women who were part of the large and ongoing Framingham Heart Study examining long-term health and lifestyle of several generations of residents in Massachusetts. Their average age was around 40 at the study’s start, and none had serious memory problems.
Scientists assessed stress levels by measuring levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that helps the body respond to stress. Cortisol helps to control inflammation, blood sugar and blood pressure levels, among other body functions. Persistently high cortisol levels are a sign of chronic stress.
The researchers discovered that compared to their less-stressed peers, who had high levels of cortisol early in the study period, when most of the women were in their 40s, were more likely to have high levels of beta-amyloid buildup in the brain 15 years later, after the women had gone through menopause. High levels of the toxic protein beta-amyloid are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
Men with high cortisol levels, on the other hand, did not show the same association with beta-amyloid buildup in this study. But other research suggests that high stress levels can take a sizable toll on the male brain.
The findings underscore the complex ways that stress may affect men and women differently. “Our work shows that considering sex and hormonal status in understanding Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis is important and suggests that stress reduction and hormonal interventions may hold promise for Alzheimer’s prevention, especially in at-risk women,” said Sudha Seshadri, the study’s senior author.
More research is needed to better understand the connections between stress and brain health in both men and women. In the meantime, experts agree it’s critical for all of us, regardless of age, gender or life circumstance, to find ways to reduce stress in our lives. Getting enough sleep, engaging in regular exercise, and incorporating meditation or other relaxation technique can go a long way in reducing stress levels. Your body, and brain, will benefit in the long run.
By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by Eric Schmidt, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.
Sources: Palpatzis E, Akinci M, Garcia-Prat M, et al: “Grief and Economic Stressors by Sex, Gender, and Education: Associations With Alzheimer Disease-Related Outcomes.” Neurology, March 31, 2025
Arash Salardini, Jayandra J. Himali, Muhammad S. Abdullah, et al: “Elevated serum cortisol associated with early-detected increase of brain amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s disease imaging biomarkers among menopausal women: The Framingham Heart Study.” Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, April 24, 2025
