Title: How Stress Affects Your Brain | UPMC HealthBeat
Headings: How Stress Affects Your Brain
Neurosurgery and Brain Health
How Stress Affects Your Brain
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Destroying Brain Cells
Shrinking Your Brain
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Brain Chemical Depletion
Save your Brain – Simple Ways to De-stress
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Content: None of which are positive. When these hormones are released, they head directly for the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is involved in memory forming, organizing, and storing. When chronic stress occurs, these hormones become unbalanced, which can kill cells in the hippocampus, and over time can lead to confusion and memory and learning difficulties. Shrinking Your Brain
Yes your brain can actually shrink from having too much stress in your life. A recent study from Yale University showed that chronic stress can reduce brain volume, leading to impaired cognition and hampered emotional function. Why does this happen, you might ask? The genes that control synaptic connections (the connections between nerve cells) malfunction, causing fewer connections and lower brain volume. However, the good news is that this change is not permanent. When your stress passes and synaptic connections levels return to normal, your brain rebounds to its normal size. Connect with UPMC
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Brain Chemical Depletion
Under a state of chronic stress, the chemicals that carry messages from one nerve to another begin to deplete, causing the brain to become sluggish and inefficient.