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June 8, 2024 – “These results might have clinical implications as an expanding body of research suggests that mindfulness exercises and meditation may reduce cortisol levels and improve cognition. Different stress management strategies could be a good complement to existing lifestyle interventions in Alzheimer’s prevention.” Now, let’s acknowedge some limitatoins. First, this wasn’t an enormous study. Second, we also have to consider our old friend, “correlation vs. causation.”
It’s possible for example that people with higher levels of stress might also happen to have another commonality we haven’t identified, and that this other commonality might be linked more directly with lower cognitive reserve.
As an example that the researchers themselves identified (and good for them for catching this), it might have to do with lack of sleep. Stress can disrupt sleep, and lack of sleep can in turn disrupt cognition, as we’ve all experienced.
They did try to control their experiments for participants who might have used sleep medications, but the Swedish researchers didn’t control for other related things — like for example, tracking people’s sleep habits.
