Stress and the brain

Stress is the body's reaction to any change that needs an adjustment or response. Stress can be divided into good stress, tolerable stress and toxic stress. Small amount of stress is a good stress which can help the body to adapt and challenging situation. When the stress level is increasing but within adaptable range, it is tolerable stress which the body still can manage the situation without any help. If the stress level continues to increase or there are multiple stressors present and exceed the limit that the body can copy, this may lead to wear and tear on the body causing stress related health problem physically and mentally. In another word the body lose it balance and need help to restore balance.

The brain is the central control of the body. It receives the signals from the outside and inside of the body and determine what is threatening and harmful, store memories and plan the copying strategy physiologically and psychologically. If the stress is present, the brain is the key target. Stress impairs various hippocampal-dependent memory tasks. Stress changes neuronal morphology, suppresses neuronal proliferation, and reduces hippocampal volume.

Consequently the brain organises a series of response to produce adaptation to the stress which include

Hormone regulation involved is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Nervous system involved is the autonomic nervous system including sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system.

The immune defense system is also involved to help the body out.