Summary: New findings reveal how stress affects the whole body and point toward ways to limit its damage.
Source: SfN.
Stress can harm both mind and body immediately and over time. Recent research showcased at Neuroscience 2017, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, describes mechanisms by which stress affects the brain and other systems — including the male reproductive system — and highlights possible approaches to reduce those harms.
Stress is a state of physical, mental, or emotional strain caused by adverse or demanding circumstances. While moderate stress is a normal part of life and can even be adaptive, chronic or excessive stress contributes to a wide range of health problems. The new studies presented at the meeting shed light on how stress signals travel through the body, leave lasting biological marks, and alter behavior and physiology.
Key findings reported include:
- Paternal stress and sperm changes: Research indicates that stress experienced by fathers can alter gene expression patterns in sperm. These changes, likely epigenetic in nature, may reduce resilience in offspring, suggesting that a father’s stress history can have biological consequences for children.
- Childhood trauma biomarkers: Childhood trauma was associated with persistent changes in gene expression and elevated stress hormone levels. These measurable biomarkers could help identify young people at risk and guide earlier or more targeted interventions.
- Astrocyte signaling and fear responses: Scientists reported that manipulating signaling in astrocytes — the star-shaped support cells in the brain — may prevent exaggerated fear and anxiety responses that are characteristic of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Targeting astrocyte pathways offers a potential therapeutic avenue distinct from approaches that focus only on neurons.
- New neurons reduce stress effects: Newborn neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory and emotional regulation, were shown in animal models to lessen the impact of stress and reduce symptoms related to mental illness. Promoting healthy neurogenesis may be one way to improve resilience to stress.
- Soil microbes, sleep, and resilience: Studies in mice found that certain microbes commonly present in soil can protect against increased stress vulnerability and illness following inadequate sleep. These findings point to an intriguing connection between the microbiome, sleep quality, and stress resilience.
“Taken together, these studies broaden our understanding of the many negative effects of stress on the brain, whether experienced early in life or during adulthood, and they generate optimism about our ability to address these impacts,” said Bruce McEwen, PhD, of Rockefeller University, who moderated the press conference and is an expert on the body’s response to stress.
Implications and context: The collection of studies emphasizes that stress is not limited to psychological experience; it creates biological changes that can influence multiple organ systems and even subsequent generations. Identifying measurable biomarkers, such as altered gene expression and hormone levels, can improve efforts to screen for individuals at heightened risk and monitor responses to treatment. Meanwhile, discoveries about astrocytes, hippocampal neurogenesis, and the role of microbes open new, biologically grounded pathways for intervention beyond traditional therapies.
Potential approaches to reduce the negative effects of stress—suggested by the research but requiring further study—include strategies to normalize stress hormone levels, interventions that support healthy neurogenesis in the hippocampus, modulation of glial cell signaling, and exploration of beneficial microbial exposures that may buffer the effects of sleep loss. Importantly, translating these findings into safe, effective human treatments will require careful clinical research.
Funding: These studies were supported by national funding agencies, private foundations, and other public and philanthropic organizations.
Source: Emily Ortman – SfN
Publisher: Organized by NeuroscienceNews.com.
Image Source: Public domain image.
Original Research: The studies were presented at Neuroscience 2017, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
SfN (2017, November 13). Harmful Effects of Stress on the Brain and Promising Approaches for Relief. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved November 13, 2017.