Endogenous Cortisol Exposure and Declarative Verbal Memory: A Longitudinal Study of Healthy Older Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Exposure to endogenous cortisol is associated with hippocampal degeneration and may contribute to problems with declarative memory, but effects of persistent versus phasic cortisol elevations have not been established. The present longitudinal investigation examined persistent individual differences and phasic changes in cortisol as they related to verbal memory, executive functions, and subjective cognitive function.

Methods

Older adults (n = 132, aged 60-93 years) were followed up for up to 5 years. They were assessed annually for verbal memory and every 6 months for executive functions, subjective cognitive function, and cortisol area under the curve (averaged over 3 days).

Results

In multilevel models, persistently but not phasically higher cortisol was

SUBMITTER: Segerstrom SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4738083 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature