Understanding The Effect Of Stress On The Brain

When one is under stress, the brain sends nerve signals to the adrenal glands to facilitate the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline will then increase the blood sugar, increase the heart rate and the blood pressure, among other actions. Apart from that, hypothalamus will facilitate the pituitary gland to stimulate the production of Cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Cortisol is a stress hormone that helps in an individual's response to stress, as it keeps the blood sugar and blood pressure high to help them get away from the danger.

This is the normal reaction the brain undergoes when under stress in the short term, but it is extremely damaging in case it goes on for a long time. The main reason for this is that the increasing amount of Cortisol will reduce the effectiveness of the immune system and affect the memory because it decreases the number of brain cells.

In research, it has been indicated that Cortisol damages and kills cells in the part of the brain that is responsible for short-term memory - the hippocampus. This makes the brain unable to access existing memory or forming a new one. At the same time it interferes with neurotransmitters, the chemicals that facilitate communication between brain cells. As a result many people are unable to retrieve a long term memory when in a crisis and are unable to think clearly. The reason why working memory is lost in stressful conditions is the fact that the stress hormones divert glucose to the exercising muscles, causing a lower amount of energy to reach the hippocampus. Consequently, it impedes us to create new memory. This is the reason why many people do not remember traumatic events, and why the working memory is usually the first to 'get lost'.

It is also known to be a cause of premature aging of the brain. When Cortisol is released in the brain, it binds different neurons in the cytoplasm. After a series of reactions, the neurons release more calcium. In case calcium increases in the brain, the neurons will fire faster and more frequently and eventually die. Further research has also indicated that there might be a connection between changes in the ippocampus and Alzheimer's disease. Some experts explain that the shrinkage and damage of specific parts of the hippocampus affect specific memory abilities and the higher the shrinkage the faster the individuals will progress towards Alzheimer's.

For this reason, it is important for people to try to avoid stress in order to have a healthy brain. The best way to do this is to take charge of their thoughts and emotions so that they can handle different situations better, without compromising the brain fitness. Individuals can also engage in relaxing activities to reduce the stress levels as well as keep their sharp minds. They can also opt for meditation or deep breathing in order to free the mind from stress and bring about a calming sensation. In so doing, they will drastically reduce the amount of Cortisol in the brain, allowing them to salvage their memory and focus to keep a healthy brain.

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