Title: The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain
Headings: The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain
The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain
Defining Stress
Leading Causes of Stress
Physiological Effects of Stress on the Brain
Effects of Chronic Stress on the Brain
Effects of Stress on the Body
Explore Health Science Degrees
Plasticity and the Brain: The Body’s Recovery System
Understanding How Stress Affects the Brain

Content: But when chronic stress is experienced, the body makes more cortisol than it has a chance to release. This is when cortisol and stress can lead to trouble. High levels of cortisol can wear down the brain’s ability to function properly. According to several studies, chronic stress impairs brain function in multiple ways. It can disrupt synapse regulation, resulting in the loss of sociability and the avoidance of interactions with others. Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. While stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, it can increase the size of the amygdala, which can make the brain more receptive to stress. “ Cortisol is believed to create a domino effect that hard-wires pathways between the hippocampus and amygdala in a way that might create a vicious cycle by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight,” Christopher Bergland writes in Psychology Today. Effects of Stress on the Body
Chronic stress doesn’t just lead to impaired cognitive function.