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The hippocampus is located in the brain's medial temporal lobe and plays an important role in forming, consolidating, and storing memories. It is vulnerable to the effects of stress, as stress hormones can cause the hippocampus to shrink and impair its function. Chronic stress can damage hippocampal neurons and cause problems with memory formation and retrieval. Exercise, meditation, sleep, and a healthy diet have been shown to help reduce stress impacts on the hippocampus and potentially increase its size.
Originalbeschreibung:
An account of connection between hippocampus and stress
The hippocampus is located in the brain's medial temporal lobe and plays an important role in forming, consolidating, and storing memories. It is vulnerable to the effects of stress, as stress hormones can cause the hippocampus to shrink and impair its function. Chronic stress can damage hippocampal neurons and cause problems with memory formation and retrieval. Exercise, meditation, sleep, and a healthy diet have been shown to help reduce stress impacts on the hippocampus and potentially increase its size.
The hippocampus is located in the brain's medial temporal lobe and plays an important role in forming, consolidating, and storing memories. It is vulnerable to the effects of stress, as stress hormones can cause the hippocampus to shrink and impair its function. Chronic stress can damage hippocampal neurons and cause problems with memory formation and retrieval. Exercise, meditation, sleep, and a healthy diet have been shown to help reduce stress impacts on the hippocampus and potentially increase its size.
shaped, located within the brain's medial temporal lobe and forms an important part of the limbic system, the region that regulates emotions. • It is a central component of the limbic system–the emotional center of the brain–and is responsible for forming, consolidating, and storing memories, emotional learning and regulation, decision- making, creativity, empathy, and an important role in spatial orientation / spatial navigation. • The hippocampus is associated mainly with memory, in particular long-term memory. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• Hippocampus abnormalities are implicated in a
range of cognitive and emotional disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and transient global amnesia. • Researchers have found that traumatic events and severe stress can cause shrinkage of this area of the brain, with significant changes observed in both men and women who suffer from Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of sexual assault or combat. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the
brain’s control center for the reaction to stress. Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol are some of the main signals the body uses to initiate the fight-or-flight response. They redirect metabolism to the limbs, slow digestion, increase blood sugar and blood pressure, and provide energy for conquering or running from the stressful situation. Animals need this physiological change to happen in their bodies, as usually the stressor is a predator that would require huge amounts of energy to run from or fight. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
The HPA axis works in conjunction with many other
areas of the brain and glands throughout the body. The hippocampus, located in the medial temporal lobe of the brain, is necessary for cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and regulation of behavior. It plays a key role in gathering and encoding information and then later retrieving that information. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• During times of stress, the brain needs to focus on
sensory stimuli and quick problem-solving, so hippocampus function is altered • The hippocampus is less functional during times of both acute and chronic stress. There are corticosteroid (cortisol) receptors all over the hippocampus, which is why stress can so readily impede this part of the brain. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• The two important receptors to know are called MRs
(mineralocorticoid receptors) and GRs (glucocorticoid receptors). MRs have a high affinity for cortisol and are bound to cortisol even when a stress response isn’t occurring, which is necessary for normal hippocampus function and flow of information. • GRs have much less affinity for cortisol and are typically only activated when cortisol levels are high (when you are stressed). When GRs are activated, neuronal formation of new memories is suppressed. This balance of cortisol promoting information flow but hindering hippocampus function during times of stress is necessary for a healthy response to stress. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
Chronic stress can cause long-term damage to the
hippocampus. Hippocampus itself has been shown to shrink in size in people suffering from an ongoing HPA axis stress response. Nerve cells, the body’s way of conducting information and signals from one part to another, are typically highly branched or elongated. Stress causes reduced nerve branching and development and even causes nerve cell death in the hippocampus. Nerve cells are also less elongated in individuals with stressful lifestyles or who grew up in a stressful household STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• GRs( Glucocorticoid receptors) on the hippocampus
become over activated with ongoing stress, which prevents nerve cell excitation. The combination of hippocampus shrinkage, nerve cell damage, and overactivation of GRs causes an inability to retrieve and form memories. • This explains why both short and long-term stress can cause memory lapses and poor focus. It is common for people to be incapable of recalling the details of a traumatic event STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• Cortisol released during a stress response has also
been shown to damage contextual memory, meaning memories may be formed but their context is ambiguous. For example, repeated stressful stimuli from a traumatic situation (such as combat) can cause severe anxiety and PTSD , where one can recall and relive the general state of fear, but not the details of the situation that provoked fear • PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder ) is brought on by witnessing a terrifying, usually life-threatening, event. Severe anxiety, flashbacks, uncontrollable thoughts and nightmares are common symptoms of the illness. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• Stress in early childhood is also associated with
diminished nerve function and reduced capacity for memorizing information. It is possible to restore hippocampus function and improve memory through lifestyle modifications and various restorative therapies for HPA axis balance. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• The hippocampus can be vulnerable to factors such
as high levels of sugar and starch consumption, and the free radical damage that can result. Various autoimmune difficulties and allergic reactions can also cause inflammation that damages this area of the brain. • Even nutritional deficiencies, particularly deficiencies in critical B-complex vitamins and omega-3s can be a cause STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
Hippocampus Dysregulation Symptoms
• Insomnia and other sleep disorders • Lack of energy in the afternoon • Increased energy in the evening • Cognitive, memory, and learning difficulties • Low tolerance for stress • Uncontrollable mood swings STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
Hippocampus can shrink as easily as it can grow.
Some of the ways it quickly shrivels it within months or years include stress, anxiety, untreated depression, obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, eating junk food, and concussions. Each of these negative risk factors have been associated with a smaller size hippocampus and a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the future. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
• Research shows that we have the capacity to grow new
neurons above and beyond what is generally produced in our hippocampus and to make them become mature and strong within weeks and months. • The best way to generate new hippocampal neurons is to exercise • In one study comparing brains of two groups of mice, the group that was assigned to running (lived in a cage with a running wheel in it) generated far more new neurons in their hippocampus than the group that was assigned to a regular cage without a running refill. • Other studies have shown that people who exercise regularly and are physically fit have a much bigger hippocampus. The more you walk, the bigger your hippocampus will get and the less would be your risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. One study showed that walking one mile a day lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 48%. STRESS and HIPPOCAMPUS
Hippocampus can grow even without generating brand
new neurons. The small premature neurons that are born every day have the capacity to grow taller, larger, and stronger by getting the right nutrition (olive oil, salmon and other food that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, and nuts), plenty of oxygen, and stimulation. Other simple lifestyle interventions can also grow the hippocampus size. Stress reduction and meditation, for example, have been shown to substantially expand the volume of hippocampus. Treatment of sleep apnea is another way you can grow the hippocampus. Learning a new language or challenging one’s brain by learning new facts is yet another way to grow the very part of your brain that is critical for our ability to keep your memories alive Six easy tips for brain health 1. Exercise your brain. 2. Put down the smartphone 3. Get more sleep. 4. Eat brain-supportive foods. Garlic, olive oil, salmon, Nuts (walnuts, cashews, and almonds), Foods high in resveratrol (which your hippocampus loves!): red grapes, red wine, peanut butter, cranberries, and blueberries 5. Meditate. 6. Supplement -Ayurvedic herb Brahmi (used to support a clear, sharp memory) Plastic surgery Stress and Hippocampus Credits : Wikipedia Google
(Handbook of Sensory Physiology 4 - 1 - Chemical Senses.) J. E. Amoore, M. G. J. Beets, J. T. Davies, T. Engen, J. Garcia, R. C. Gesteland, P. P. C. Graziadei, K.-E. Kaissling, R. A. Koelling, J. LeMa