A recent study shows that sustained stress erodes memory with the immune system playing a key role in cognitive impairment. Specifically, the study researched the relationship between chronic stress and short-term memory in mice. The mice that were repeatedly introduced to the aggressive intruder had a difficult time remembering where the escape hole was, whereas the mice who were less stressed, remembered it. Additionally, the chronically stressed mice had evidence of inflammation in their brains, resulting from the immune system’s response to outside pressure. The long-range goal of the study was to eventually help those who are anxious, depressed, and suffer from chronic stress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers ultimately were able to directly link the post-stress memory issues to inflammation caused by the immune system.
See Long-Term Stress Erodes Memory, Science Bulletin, May 20, 2016.
