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Glucocorticoids and the ageing hippocampus
Author(s) -
HIBBERD CARINA,
YAU JOYCE L. W.,
SECKL JONATHAN R.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19740553.x
Subject(s) - hippocampus , hippocampal formation , ageing , neuroscience , temporal lobe , cognition , glucocorticoid , episodic memory , memory impairment , psychology , cognitive impairment , hypercortisolemia , medicine , endocrinology , hydrocortisone , epilepsy
Approximately 30% of human and mammalian populations develop cognitive impairments with ageing. Many of these impairments have been linked to dysfunction of the hippocampus, a well studied area of the medial‐temporal lobe, which is involved in episodic memory and control of the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal stress axis and, thus, of glucocorticoid secretion. This paper reviews the growing body of studies which explore a possible relationship between lifetime exposure to glucocorticoids and hippocampal impairment. There is now strong evidence which associates hypercortisolemia in aged men with later cognitive dysfunction and this complements a wealth of rodent and other human data. We conclude with a discussion of possible pharmacological and behavioural interventions.