Stress acts directly on the brain

University researchers discovered direct effects of the stress hormone cortisol

24/01/2012

Stress seems to act much faster on the information processing in the brain than previously thought. Scientists at the University of Trier have discovered an effect of the stress hormone cortisol on the thalamus, which sets in immediately after the stress.

So far, the assumption was that the effect of cortisol occurs only 20 minutes after the stress. But the stress hormone acts much faster than expected, the researchers report to the psychobiologist Prof. Dr. med. Hartmut Schächinger from the University of Trier. This could be stress „In humans, it has far greater impact on perception and information processing than previously assumed“, so the announcement of the University of Trier on Tuesday.

Stress hormone with direct impact on cognitive processing
In cooperation with the Brothers Hospital Trier, the researchers of the University of Trier are the first proof of this „a rapid effect of the stress hormone cortisol on the thalamus succeeded“, Prof. Dr. Hartmut Schächinger. The thalamus is responsible for many cognitive processes such as attention and information processing, so that an immediate effect of stress on these cognitive processes can be expected. The psychobiological phenomenon of stress is accompanied by various physiological and cognitive reactions, although it was previously known that cortisol is released into the bloodstream within minutes due to a stress reaction, but the assumption was that this release was relatively slow in the brain. Thus, earlier studies came to the conclusion that the „Cortisol triggered molecular biology processes at the earliest after 20 minutes can lead to specific functional changes of the cells“, said the researchers of the University of Trier. Therefore, the influence of the stress hormone cortisol on the direct cognitive processing of the stress-inducing event was excluded.

Cortisol causes functional changes in the brain within minutes
The scientists around Prof. Dr. However, Hartmut Schächinger found out that cortisol induces functional changes in the brain within a few minutes. This has an influence on the perception and attention of the people. Several independent studies have shown that cortisol causes functional changes in the thalamus within minutes, which causes the stress to act much faster on the information processing in the human brain than previously thought, said the psychobiologists of the University of Trier. The thalamus has a significant influence on the processing of almost all perceptions and also regulate the regulation of alertness and attention, the researchers explained. Thus, the effect of cortisol promotes an advantageous adaptation of the individual to the stress situation. The stress hormone has a direct one „Influence on the cognitive processing of the stress-inducing event“, emphasized the Trier scientists. (Fp)

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