Stress, health and ageing: a focus on postmenopausal women.
Stress influences health and disease and this might be of special relevance for ageing. The present review starts with the description of age-associated changes of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. In this context, the possible modulatory role of estradiol is discussed. Later, the influence of rising stress hormone levels for the ageing brain is illustrated and a few intervention strategies are outlined. At the end, the concept of allostatic load (AL) is described, which aims at a broader assessment of the impact of stress on the individual. The strengths and also the current limitations of the AL concept are highlighted.
Wolf
Oliver T
OT
Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. oliver.t.wolf@rub.de
Kudielka
Brigitte M
BM
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D052636:Allostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D000494:Allosteric Regulation; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D016387:Women's Health
D004958:Estradiol; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone