Future research

The new Harvard research is only a mouse study, so replicating the same results in a human study would be necessary to strengthen the findings.

But the Harvard research has implications far beyond graying hair, with the hair color change merely one obvious sign of other internal changes as a result of prolonged stress.

“By understanding precisely how stress affects stem cells that regenerate pigment, we’ve laid the groundwork for understanding how stress affects other tissues and organs in the body,” said Hsu. “Understanding how our tissues change under stress is the first critical step towards eventual treatment that can halt or revert the detrimental impact of stress.”

Might that also mean someday halting and reverting the march of premature gray hair? It’s too soon to tell.

“We still have a lot to learn in this area,” Hsu said.

 

Article by: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/scientists-how-stress-causes-gray-hair