Effects of Stress on Brain

 

The physical symptoms of stress on brain function are the result of the chemical and neurological responses to high demands placed on the human brain. In situations that require a high degree of physical or mental exertion, the body resorts to mechanisms that produce physiological and psychological symptoms.

 What Happens When We Take Extreme Stress?

• When a person experiences the effects of stress on the brain, it is the result of the overloading of resources (neurotransmitters and nerve cells) that are normally used to control and deal with demands.
  
  
• When these resources are overextended, the brain, through the psychological symptoms of stress on the brain, produces symptoms that mirror what would be expected in stressful situations
  
  
• The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland play an important role in managing stress and their effects on the brain.
  
  
• The hypothalamus is the organ that controls the release of hormones that trigger the arousal of the central nervous system and its corresponding physiological responses.
  
  
• The major output of the hypothalamus is the cortisol hormone that acts as a satiety suppressor and mediates the physiological responses to meal loss.

 

How Extreme Stress Triggers Hormones?

• A variety of stressors, including emotional stress, may impair the release of the cortisol hormone, thus leading to weight gain, depression, or poor nutritional status.
  
  
•  Likewise, the pituitary gland secreting the hormones like Adrenalin and growth hormone play an important role in managing and dealing with the stress response by providing additional nutrients and energy to compensate for the reduction in nutrients and energy released due to the low levels of glycogen in the bloodstream.
  
  
• In situations that induce or manifest stress, the cortisol hormone produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland causes the release of neuropeptides that initiate and enhances the release of other hormones and chemicals.
  
  
• Among these is the neuropeptide Y that facilitates the development and maintenance of healthy cells in the human brain.
  
  
• However, the production of this hormone is severely impaired during the stressful condition and may lead to the development of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.
  
  
• In addition, the neuropeptide FK requires an increased amount of glucose and does not release its neurohormone when there is abundant supply of glucose.
  
  
• Thus, glucose consumption during stress is essential to promote brain health.

 

Relation Between Stress and Brain

• In terms of the relationship between stress and the brain, the nucleus accumbens plays a critical role.
  
  
• It has been found out that this brain region is activated during stressful conditions.
  
  
• This brain region is linked to emotional states and cognitive processes.
  
  
• Its release of corticosteroid hormone initiates and encourages the development and maintenance of stress resistance mechanisms in the amygdala, one of the most important areas of the brain involved in stress response.
  
  
• Another area of the brain involved in stress response is the amygdala, which directly mediates emotional responses and physiological stress reactions.
  
  
• This area is linked to memory, emotion, motivation, sexuality and appetites.
  
  
• During stress, the level of these factors in the amygdala would be heightened and the connections between the amygdala and related areas would be strengthened.
  
  
• When the hypothalamus and pituitary gland released neuropeptide Y, the amygdala will activate its stress response and will facilitate the development and maturation of pathological behaviors.
  
  
• The effects of stress on the hypothalamus and the amygdala are also associated with abnormalities in glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are important in maintaining normal brain function and are synthesized by the pituitary gland.
  
  
• When glucocorticoids are not produced in adequate quantities or in any form during stressful conditions, the effects of stress on the brain are directly influenced.
  
  
• When glucocorticoids are produced in excessive amounts or in abnormal concentrations, the effects of stress on the brain are compromised and the person may develop severe illnesses affecting the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
  
  More to know on Stress:
  What Are Stress Management Techniques?