Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk
Abstract Emerging evidence implicates chronic psychological stress as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Herein, we examined the relationships between serum cortisol and multimodality brain AD biomarkers in 277 cognitively normal midlife individuals at risk for AD. Overall, higher cortisol...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
|
Series: | Scientific Reports |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56071-9 |
_version_ | 1797266848460308480 |
---|---|
author | Lisa Mosconi Schantel Williams Caroline Carlton Camila Zarate Camila Boneu Francesca Fauci Trisha Ajila Matilde Nerattini Steven Jett Caroline Andy Michael Battista Silky Pahlajani Joseph Osborne Roberta Diaz Brinton Jonathan P. Dyke |
author_facet | Lisa Mosconi Schantel Williams Caroline Carlton Camila Zarate Camila Boneu Francesca Fauci Trisha Ajila Matilde Nerattini Steven Jett Caroline Andy Michael Battista Silky Pahlajani Joseph Osborne Roberta Diaz Brinton Jonathan P. Dyke |
author_sort | Lisa Mosconi |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Emerging evidence implicates chronic psychological stress as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Herein, we examined the relationships between serum cortisol and multimodality brain AD biomarkers in 277 cognitively normal midlife individuals at risk for AD. Overall, higher cortisol was associated with lower total brain volume, lower glucose metabolism (CMRglc) in frontal cortex, and higher β-amyloid (Aβ) load in AD-vulnerable regions; and marginally associated with phosphocreatine to ATP ratios (PCr/ATP) in precuneus and parietal regions. Sex-specific modification effects were noted: in women, cortisol exhibited stronger associations with Aβ load and frontal CMRglc, the latter being more pronounced postmenopause. In men, cortisol exhibited stronger associations with gray matter volume and PCr/ATP measures. Higher cortisol was associated with poorer delayed memory in men but not in women. Results were adjusted for age, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon 4 status, midlife health factors, and hormone therapy use. These results suggest sex-specific neurophysiological responses to stress, and support a role for stress reduction in AD prevention. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:07:13Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-860ade4fa33e4745b368bbe7e2a3c650 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2045-2322 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:07:13Z |
publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
publisher | Nature Portfolio |
record_format | Article |
series | Scientific Reports |
spelling | doaj.art-860ade4fa33e4745b368bbe7e2a3c6502024-03-10T12:11:18ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-56071-9Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s riskLisa Mosconi0Schantel Williams1Caroline Carlton2Camila Zarate3Camila Boneu4Francesca Fauci5Trisha Ajila6Matilde Nerattini7Steven Jett8Caroline Andy9Michael Battista10Silky Pahlajani11Joseph Osborne12Roberta Diaz Brinton13Jonathan P. Dyke14Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Radiology, Weill Cornell MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Pharmacology, University of ArizonaDepartment of Radiology, Weill Cornell MedicineAbstract Emerging evidence implicates chronic psychological stress as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Herein, we examined the relationships between serum cortisol and multimodality brain AD biomarkers in 277 cognitively normal midlife individuals at risk for AD. Overall, higher cortisol was associated with lower total brain volume, lower glucose metabolism (CMRglc) in frontal cortex, and higher β-amyloid (Aβ) load in AD-vulnerable regions; and marginally associated with phosphocreatine to ATP ratios (PCr/ATP) in precuneus and parietal regions. Sex-specific modification effects were noted: in women, cortisol exhibited stronger associations with Aβ load and frontal CMRglc, the latter being more pronounced postmenopause. In men, cortisol exhibited stronger associations with gray matter volume and PCr/ATP measures. Higher cortisol was associated with poorer delayed memory in men but not in women. Results were adjusted for age, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon 4 status, midlife health factors, and hormone therapy use. These results suggest sex-specific neurophysiological responses to stress, and support a role for stress reduction in AD prevention.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56071-9 |
spellingShingle | Lisa Mosconi Schantel Williams Caroline Carlton Camila Zarate Camila Boneu Francesca Fauci Trisha Ajila Matilde Nerattini Steven Jett Caroline Andy Michael Battista Silky Pahlajani Joseph Osborne Roberta Diaz Brinton Jonathan P. Dyke Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk Scientific Reports |
title | Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk |
title_full | Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk |
title_fullStr | Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk |
title_full_unstemmed | Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk |
title_short | Sex-specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk |
title_sort | sex specific associations of serum cortisol with brain biomarkers of alzheimer s risk |
url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56071-9 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT lisamosconi sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT schantelwilliams sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT carolinecarlton sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT camilazarate sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT camilaboneu sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT francescafauci sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT trishaajila sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT matildenerattini sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT stevenjett sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT carolineandy sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT michaelbattista sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT silkypahlajani sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT josephosborne sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT robertadiazbrinton sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk AT jonathanpdyke sexspecificassociationsofserumcortisolwithbrainbiomarkersofalzheimersrisk |