Effects Of Stress Throughout The Lifespan On The Brain, Behavior And Cognition

Stress Replacement Article


Within this article, researchers elaborate on the effects of how chronic exposure to stress hormones has a major impact on brain structures involved in cognition and mental health. During both early childhood and old age, researchers have noted that the brain is particularly sensitive to stress, probably because it undergoes such important changes during these periods. Stress has the ability to decrease our neuron size. Findings from retrospective studies on children whose mothers experienced psychological stress or adverse events or received exogenous glucocorticoids during pregnancy suggest that there are long-term neurodevelopmental
effects. When disturbances from stress occur during child development, such as maternal stress and depression, the child while in the mother’s womb can undergo behavioral modifications. Such as, unsociable and inconsiderate behaviors, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep disturbances as well as some psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptoms, drug abuse and mood and anxiety disorders. The brain is not designed for long term stress when you feel like you have no control. The brain is equipped with a stress system, which identifies warnings and possible neurological hazards being brought upon the brain itself. The stress response gives us the strength and speed to ward off or flee from an impending threat. But when it persists, stress can put us at risk for obesity, heart disease, cancer, and a variety of other illnesses.


Lupien, S. J., Mcewen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition. Nature Reviews.Neuroscience, 10(6), 434-434-45. doi:10.1038/nrn2639