Effects of Stress on Memory: Relevance for Human Aging

Abstract

Is aging associated with a more pronounced sus- ceptibility to stress? Do older people respond differently to stress, and if so, how does this influence their cognitive performance? Might chronic stress be one of the reasons for the large interindividual variance observed in cognitive aging? The present chapter aims to answer these and related questions. A neuroendocrine perspec- tive is taken, focusing on stress hormones and their action in the human brain. The response patterns of young people are described before age-related changes are discussed. Acute and chronic stress effects are then compared with each other, and finally, some possible lines of intervention are characterized.