). ▁Short - term ▁increases ▁in ▁cort is ol ▁levels ▁are ▁associated ▁with ▁adapt ive ▁cogn itive ▁improvements , ▁such ▁as ▁en hanced ▁in hib itory ▁control ; ▁however , ▁excess ively ▁high ▁expos ure ▁or ▁prolong ed ▁expos ure ▁to ▁high ▁levels ▁of ▁cort is ol ▁causes ▁imp air ments ▁in ▁cogn itive ▁control ▁and ▁has ▁ne uro to xic ▁effects ▁in ▁the ▁human ▁brain . ▁For ▁example , ▁chron ic ▁psych ological ▁stress ▁decre ases ▁ ▁expression ▁which ▁has ▁det r iment al ▁effects ▁on ▁hi pp oc amp al ▁volume ▁and ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁de pression . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁physical ▁str essor , ▁aer ob ic ▁exercise ▁stim ul ates ▁cort is ol ▁secret ion ▁in ▁an ▁intensity - dependent ▁manner ; ▁however , ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁result ▁in ▁long - term ▁increases ▁in ▁cort is ol ▁production ▁since ▁this ▁exercise - indu ced ▁effect ▁on ▁cort is ol ▁is ▁a ▁response ▁to ▁trans ient ▁negative ▁energy ▁balance . ▁Ind ividual s ▁who ▁have ▁recently ▁exerc ised ▁exhib it ▁improvements ▁in ▁stress ▁cop ing ▁behav iors . ▁Aer ob ic ▁exercise ▁increases ▁physical ▁fit ness ▁and ▁low ers ▁ne uro end ocr ine ▁( i . e ., ▁) ▁react ivity ▁and ▁therefore ▁reduces ▁the ▁bi ological ▁response ▁to ▁psych ological ▁stress ▁in ▁humans ▁( e . g ., ▁reduced ▁cort is ol ▁release ▁and ▁at ten u ated ▁heart ▁rate ▁response ). ▁Ex erc ise ▁also ▁revers es ▁stress - indu ced ▁decre ases ▁in ▁ ▁expression ▁and