{
  "id": 8957076,
  "title": "Daily variations in salivary cortisol may predict cognitive decline in older adults",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/daily-variations-in-salivary-cortisol-may-predict-cognitive-decline",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-21T16:00:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/daily-variations-in-salivary-cortisol-may-predict-cognitive-decline-in-older-adults/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent research suggests that fluctuations in salivary cortisol may be an indicator of cognitive decline in older adults. A study published in JAMA Network Open analyzed data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), a long-term study of aging and Alzheimer's disease. The analysis of 3,895 participants aged 77 on average, found that those with moderate to high daily variations in cortisol levels showed slower cognitive decline, while those with the highest average cortisol levels tended to experience faster cognitive decline. Participants with the highest average cortisol levels also had the lowest cognitive function scores at the study's start. The study supports salivary cortisol as a potential early biomarker of neurocognitive aging, though it did not assess participants' perceived stress levels.",
  "summary": "A new study of nearly 4,000 older adults reveals that daily variations in the stress hormone cortisol predict cognitive decline. Researchers found that moderate daily fluctuations may protect the brain, while high average levels accelerate cognitive aging.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}