Abstract
Does stress have a negative impact on memory during human aging and which role is played by the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis? The present review tries to answer this question by summarizing specific age associated changes of the HPA axis. These are associated with declarative memory impairments. Whether these impairments reflect structural changes (hippocampal atrophy) or rather acute reversible phenomena is incompletely investigated. In addition a better explanation for the large interindividual variance is needed. In this field genetic approaches as well as an increased attention to local steroid metabolism are very promising. An enhanced understanding of the effects of stress on the aging brain will lead to a more targeted and more efficient prevention and therapy of age associated memory deficits.
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