Long lasting exposure to the stress hormone cortisol could lead to damage of certain brain regions. Steroids that are used to fight inflammation are synthetic forms of cortisol. Many people take these steroids, sometimes for a long time.
This research aims to evaluate whether – at a population level – the long term use of these steroids has similar effects on the brain as cortisol. This will tell us whether doctors will need to be more cautious in prescribing these drugs, and whether researchers should look for alternative ways to treat inflammation.
