Stressful experiences can age brain 'by years', Alzheimer's experts hear

Child's death, divorce or job loss linked to poorer cognition in later life, study finds, with African Americans more susceptible

Stressful life experiences can age the brain by several years, new research suggests. Experts led by a team from Wisconsin University's school of medicine and public health in the US found that even one major stressful event early in life may have an impact on later brain health.

The team examined data for 1,320 people who reported stressful experiences over their lifetime and underwent tests in areas such as thinking and memory. The subjects' average age was 58 and included 1,232 white Americans and 82 African Americans. A series of neuropsychological tests examined several areas, including four memory scores (immediate memory, verbal learning and memory, visual learning and memory, and story recall).