Stress and anxiety in dementia

In this article, we review prior studies that analyze the relationship between stress, anxiety, depression, and dementia. We evaluate anxiety as a risk factor for dementia, its prevalence within different types of dementia, and anxiety in early versus late stages of dementia. In addition, we discuss the role of psychological stress in the development of mild cognitive impairment and dementia, as well as the relationship between dementia and childhood and midlife stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Throughout this article, we focus on the relationship between depression and stress/anxiety in dementia patients, and emphasize the importance of treating stress and anxiety in order to improve memory processes in dementia patients.