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stress

·June 4, 2024·2 min read

Stress Hinders Cognitive Gains from Mental Activities

A new study found that mentally stimulating activities improve cognition in memory clinic patients, but stress undermines these benefits. Higher cognitive reserve enhances cognition, but physiological stress reduces this positive effect. This research suggests that stress management techniques, such as mindfulness and meditation, could complement Alzheimer's prevention strategies.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 16, 2024·2 min read

Stress May Boost Helping Behavior When Witnessing Injustice

A new study finds that acute stress experienced while witnessing injustice can make people more likely to help victims rather than punish offenders. This shift in behavior is linked to increased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a brain region involved in decision-making. The findings suggest that helping others may be a more intuitive response than punishing them, especially under stress.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 15, 2024·4 min read

Mediterranean Diet May Lower Anxiety and Stress

The Mediterranean diet can reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety in older adults. The study, involving 294 Australians aged 60+, found significant mental health benefits from consuming fruits, nuts, legumes, and minimizing sugar-sweetened drinks.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 11, 2024·3 min read

Mom’s Stress Hormone Shapes Child’s IQ

Elevated cortisol levels during the third trimester of pregnancy are linked to lower IQ scores in 7-year-old boys, but not in girls. In contrast, higher urine cortisone levels during pregnancy were associated with improved IQ scores in girls.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 16, 2024·5 min read

Exercise Reduces Stress in the Brain

Physical activity significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by diminishing stress-related brain signaling. The study, which analyzed data from over 50,000 participants, showed that individuals who adhered to physical activity guidelines had a 23% lower risk of developing heart disease.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 8, 2024·5 min read

Positive Partner Support Tied to Stress Relief

Positive support from partners in a relationship can significantly reduce stress, as indicated by cortisol levels. Analyzing communication between 191 married couples, the research found that individuals felt more validated and cared for when their partners provided positive support, leading to lower cortisol levels.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·April 2, 2024·5 min read

Stress and Trauma Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s

Researchers linked midlife stress and childhood trauma to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and neuroinflammation. Analyzing 1,290 volunteers, researchers found that stressful life events, especially during midlife, correlate with higher levels of β-amyloid protein, crucial in Alzheimer's development, and that childhood stress is associated with later life neuroinflammation. Interestingly, the study also uncovered sex-specific effects, with stress leading to amyloid protein accumulation in men and brain atrophy in women.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·March 12, 2024·5 min read

Global Stress and Inflammation: A Cycle of Societal Dysfunction

Researchers propose a groundbreaking hypothesis, linking chronic stress and inflammation to societal and cognitive dysfunction on a global scale. They suggest that the brain's 'central inflammation map' could be impaired by chronic inflammation, affecting individual and collective decision-making, and behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 5, 2024·5 min read

Stress Ages You, But Control Can Keep You Young

A recent study reveals that younger adults feel and appear older on days filled with stress, particularly when they perceive their control over life as diminished. This research, involving 107 participants aged 18 to 36, underscores the link between stress, perceived age, and control over one’s life on a daily basis.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·February 22, 2024·3 min read

Stress Plays Key Role in Cancer Spread

Researchers uncovered how stress can significantly increase cancer metastasis through the activation of white blood cells known as neutrophils, which create web-like structures promoting cancer spread. By simulating chronic stress in mice, the team observed a dramatic increase in metastatic lesions, linking stress hormones to the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that foster a metastasis-friendly environment.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 7, 2024·5 min read

Immune Cell Enzyme Links Stress to Depression

Researchers identified a novel 'body-mind mechanism' that links chronic stress to depression. They discovered that stress increases the enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) in blood, which then impacts brain neurons, leading to social withdrawal behaviors in mice—a symptom observed in depression.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·January 29, 2024·6 min read

Adolescent Stress Alters Brain Genes, Affecting Adult Behavior

A new study reveals that excessive stress during adolescence can lead to long-lasting changes in gene expression in the brain, particularly those related to bioenergy functions. This research indicates that such alterations may disrupt cell respiration and contribute to behavioral issues and psychiatric disorders in adulthood.