Slashdot Mirror
Chronic Stress Could Lead To Depression and Dementia, Scientists Warn (independent.co.uk)
schwit1 writes: A major review of published research suggests that chronic stress and anxiety can damage areas of the brain involved in emotional responses, thinking and memory, leading to depression and even Alzheimer's disease. Dr Linda Mah, the lead author of the review carried out at a research institute affiliated to the University of Toronto, said: 'Pathological anxiety and chronic stress are associated with structural degeneration and impaired functioning of the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, which may account for the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and dementia.'
I mean physiologically.
Anything that strains or exhausts the body. So there are 2 types of stress: eustress, or stress that has short-term benefits like exercise and sex. Then there's distress that has short term damage to the body like minor drug use or a panic attack. Modern living is fairly consistent in its demands on the body, which is usually a good thing allowing the problems of civilization to be structured and compartmentalized. The problem comes when all compartments of modern living cause stress. Then the body (and mind) cannot repair and refresh (and learn). Now people tend to say they're stressed even while doing minor activities, like talking to (polite) strangers. Scientists have determined that the brain in normal use is exhausted before the muscles are, in normal use. So the question becomes: Is this a misnaming of a minor activity which normal people can handle, or do mental tasks cause more distress than physical tasks?