Stress-related disorders are associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, according to a new Chinese study.

In the population-matched cohort, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases per 1000 person-years was 1.50 among individuals with stress-related disorders versus 0.82 among individuals without stress-related disorders.

This translated into a significant 57% increase in risk of neurodegenerative diseases among those with stress-related disorders.

The observed association was more pronounced for vascular neurodegenerative diseases, with an 80% increase in risk versus a 31% increase for primary neurodegenerative diseases, the researchers reported in JAMA Neurology.