Interesting Theory

[Guest Automated Alice]

I found this on another site , its an article taken from a page about stress and permanent damage, ~ (perhaps one for Hypnosinc ? :mad: lol, ) relating to long term suffereing of depression and anxiety

Cortisol and Your Hippocampus

Ironically, stress hormones can damage the hippocampus, the very part of the brain that's supposed to signal when to shut-off production of these hormones – creating a vicious cycle that degenerates the brain and diminishes the quality of life.

Studies done by Dr. Robert M. Sapolsky showed that lots of stress or exposure to cortisol accelerates the degeneration of the aging hippocampus. And, because the hippocampus is part of the feedback mechanism that signals when to stop cortisol production, a damaged hippocampus causes cortisol levels to get out of control – further compromising memory and cognitive function. The cycle of degeneration then continues. (Perhaps similar to the deterioration of the pancreas-insulin feedback system.)

Failure of the Cortisol Feedback Mechanism

Normally, in response to stress, the brain's hypothalamus secretes a hormone that causes the pituitary gland to secrete another hormone that causes the adrenals to secrete cortisol. When levels of cortisol rise to a certain level, several areas of the brain – especially the hippocampus – tell the hypothalamus to turn off the cortisol-producing mechanism. This is the proper feedback response.

The hippocampus, however, is the area most damaged by cortisol. In his book Brain Longevity, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., describes how older people often have lost 20-25% of the cells in their hippocampus, so it cannot provide proper feedback to the hypothalamus, so cortisol continues to be secreted. This, in turn, causes more damage to the hippocampus, and even more cortisol production. Thus, a Catch-22 "degenerative cascade" begins, which can be very difficult to stop.

Cortisol Shrinks Hippocampus

The size of the hippocampus averaged 14% smaller in a group of septuagenarians who showed high and rising cortisol levels, compared to a group with moderate and decreasing levels. They also did worse at remembering a path through a human maze and pictures they'd seen 24 hours earlier and – two tasks that use the hippocampus.

A third of the 60 volunteers, who were between ages 60 and 85, had chronically high cortisol levels, a problem that seems to be fairly common in older people. This study, titled "Cortisol levels during human aging predict hippocampal atrophy and memory deficits," was reported in Nature Neuroscience, May 1998.

Dr. Sapolsky discovered that general sympathetic nervous system arousal is a relative indication of anxiety and vigilance – the individual is trying to deal with the challenge. On the other hand, a heavy secretion of cortisol is more a marker of depression – the individual has given up on trying to cope. This burned-out feeling of depression represents the exhaustion stage of chronic stress, where a person feels worthless and has no energy to do anything about it.

I know the Hippocampus shrinks with chronic depression anyway , which in turn affects emotional memory, although cognitive functioning remains intact, sensory anethesia and other symptoms associated with depression / depersonalisation, (sometimes to the point where some people have had scans to see whether they have sustained permanent physical damage or not, ) but this article seems to suggests that long term stress and depression can lead to permanent damage and alcheimers (spelling ) disease, which ive aways worried about

[Guest Kitty]

Alice,

Thanks for posting this article. It's interesting and raises some valid and interesting points on stress .

However, I honestly wouldn't get yourself too worried about the alzheimers and don't read too much into the article. It's good to know about stuff like this, but at the same time try not to get worked up.

Love from K

xx

[Caramoole]

Alice,

It's good to know about stuff like this

41233[/snapback]

You speak for yourself Lady

I'm Dooooomed

[Guest Kitty]

@ Caramoole...

[Guest sylvia]

Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing and good luck to you!

[Guest Automated Alice]

Hi Guys

Erm,, its ok, ive not turned into Alberta overnight , most of the above post has been copy and pasted from the article itself , i only wrote the bottom bit, lol

But it is worrying that it does feel like alchiemers or some degenerative disorder to be honest, ive always worried that it is something like this and it wont be picked up on until im finally wandering round in Woolworths talking to garden gnomes It is worrying that this may be an irreversible condition, and its hard to explain as it is

Thanks for the replies anyway guys :crybaby:

xx