Stress shown to warp brains

[BridgeTheGap]

WASHINGTON — Scientists have discovered how stress — in the form of emotional, mental or physical tension — physically reshapes the brain and causes long-lasting harm to humans and animals.

"Stress causes neurons (brain cells) to shrink or grow," said Bruce Mc Ewen, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University in New York. "The wear and tear on the body from lots of stress changes the nervous system."

He said that stress is "particularly worrying in the developing brain, which appears to be programmed by early stressful experience."

Stress in early life, even in the womb, can later lead to undesirable changes in behavior and the ability to learn and remember.

Other consequences may be substance abuse and psychiatric disorders, researchers said at a conference of neuroscientists in Washington this week.

"Prenatal stress can change the brain forever," said Tallie Baram, a neurologist at the University of California, Irvine. "Stress changes how genes are expressed throughout life."

http://www.kentucky.com/148/story/601520.html

[zazen]

1. how can they conduct such abusive tests on innocent animals? we're a monstrous species n/t

[old mark]

2. I recently retired from a terrible place where the employees

were routinely harrassed, lied to, stressed beyond anything in my experience as a matter of course. That passes for management.

Many staff developed cancers, had strokes, diabetes, heart attacks (I had 2), and severe alcohol/drug/emotional problems, and many died near retirement age.

It has taken me over a year and a half to relax after leaving that place, and I still hate to run into anyone I worked with there because of the feelings and memories it brings back.
Stress can kill you in many bad ways.
mark