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. 2000 Nov;197(Pt 4):553–562. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19740553.x

Glucocorticoids and the ageing hippocampus

CARINA HIBBERD 1, JOYCE L W YAU 1, JONATHAN R SECKL 1,✉
PMCID: PMC1468170  PMID: 11197528

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Hippocampal dysfunction, exposure to glucocorticoids

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Selected References

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