A new study has found a link between chronic stress and short-term memory loss in older adults.

Jason Radley, assistant professor in psychology at the University of Iowa and corresponding author on the paper, and a team of researchers discovered that a high amount of cortisol – the “stress” hormone in the body that surges during times of duress – can cause memory loss in older adults.

Short-term bursts of cortisol are essential for helping us deal with the every day stresses of life, and allow us to remain alert and able to think quickly. However, prolonged exposure to cortisol, common in those with long-term stress, can have a number of negative consequences in addition to short-term memory loss, including weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety and digestive issues.

The researchers found elevated levels of cortisol were linked to a gradual loss of the prefrontal cortex’s synapses. It is this area of the brain responsible for short-term memory. Our ability to store and process information is assisted by these synapses. Yet when we age, continuous exposure to cortisol can result in a disappearance of these synapses.

“Stress hormones are one mechanism that we believe leads to weathering of the brain. Like a rock on the shoreline, after years and years it will eventually break down and disappear,” said Radley in a statement.

The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Neuroscience.