Elevated plasma cortisol associated with larger ventricles and smaller hippocampal volumes – a study in 2 independent elderly cohorts
Year: 2020
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Cortisol is considered the most fundamental stress hormone and is elevated in stress and multiple neuropsychiatric conditions. Prior studies have shown associations of plasma cortisol levels with total cerebral and hippocampal volumes and less consistently with the amygdala. Here, we extend our hypothesis to test associations of plasma cortisol with 1) ventricular 2) hippocampal and 3) amygdalar volumes, in two independent elderly cohorts across a broad cognitive spectrum ranging from normal cognition to Alzheimer’s disease. We demonstrate elevated cortisol to be associated with larger lateral ventricular volumes and smaller hippocampal volumes, predominantly in the right cerebral hemisphere, regardless of age, sex or cognitive status. We noted a non-significant trend of smaller amygdalar volumes with elevated cortisol. Our findings support smaller brain parenchyma volumes seen with elevated cortisol and may encourage effective strategies reducing cortisol and stress. They may also serve as imaging biomarkers for assessing therapeutic benefits of stress and cortisol lowering interventions aiming to halt or reverse the brain volume alterations and theoretically improve cognition and quality of life. Highlights Elevated cortisol associated with larger ventricular volumes and smaller hippocampal volumes Associations are predominantly noted in the right cerebral hemisphere. Similar non-significant trends noted in amygdalar volumes Cortisol and stress reducing strategies may halt brain changes and improve quality of life Imaging biomarkers may help assess efficacy of cortisol-lowering therapeutic interventions
Language: English
Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1067818806, G1171648585, G1215544417, Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, G1552963388, ENIGMA World Aging Center, G1886977002, G2314325775, Multi-Domain Sensory Measures as Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Preclinical and Prodromal Stages, Sensory and Perceptual Measures as Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease Pathology, G3582805754, G3657631774, Urban Air Pollution and Alzheimer's Disease: Risk, Heterogeneity, and Mechanisms, G445099135, G4669903861, India ENIGMA Initiative for Global Aging & Mental Health, Integrating Neuroimaging, Multi-omics, and Clinical Data in Complex Disease, Integrative analysis of alternative splicing in Alzheimer's disease, G7944770822, Multi-Source Sparse Learning to Identify MCI and Predict Decline, Perimenopause in Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
OpenAlex ID: W3021928780