Stress Effects on Central Nervous System
| Central Nervous System | Effects | Clinical Manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| Amygdala47–50 | Hypersensitivity to stimuli coupling with dACC | Hypervigilance |
| Enhanced responses to future stress | ||
| Poorly regulated fear response | ||
| HPA Axis51–54 | Overexposure to glucocorticoids | Depression |
| Altered gene expression | Panic | |
| Loss of negative feedback mechanism | Obsessive-compulsive symptoms | |
| Sensitization to stimuli | Fatigue | |
| Habituation to cortisol or overproduction of cortisol | ||
| Hippocampus55 | Atrophy of Ammon’s Horn | Decreased declarative, contextual, and spatial memory |
| Reduced excitability | ||
| Inhibited neurogenesis | ||
| Decreased hippocampal volume | ||
| Allostasis51,52,56,57–59 | Allostatic overload | New stress baseline |
| Inability to maintain homeostasis | Inefficient management of stress response | |
| Wear and tear of physiological systems | Obesity | |
| Neuronal remodeling | Cognitive impairment |
dACC = dorsal anterior cingulate cortex
HPA = hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal