Does Stress Really Impair Memory? Student’s Name:顏嘉賢 School Number:B9802033
QUESTION How is stress related to memory? Enhance? Impair? Why?
INFORMATION 1: ENHANCEMENT OF MEMORY Stressful / emotionally arousing events enhance the “consolidation” of memory Stress hormones stress-activated neurotransmitters Amygdala
INFORMATION 2: STRESS HORMONES Glucocorticoids Cortisol Stress cortisol receptor Long-term exposure to cortisol atrophy of hippocampus naturally (In hippocampus)
Dendritic Spine Learning & memory Synapses
synapse
INFORMATION 3: CRH &CRHR CRH: corticotropin releasing hormone Secreted by hypothalamus CRHR: CRH receptor Located in hippocampus
Acute Stress CRH release hippocampus dendritic spines disintegration CRHR impair memory storage “consolidation” collection
BLOCK damage eliminated On the contrary… CRH CRHR BLOCK damage eliminated binding
INFORAMTION 4: REVERSIBILITY From Newcomer’s experiment: Memory impairment is reversible “the point of no return” Controlling cortisol levels pharmacologically
THE SAME QUESTION How is stress related to memory? Enhance? Impair?
THE ANSWER~~~~~ BOTH !!!! However…
CONCLUSION Stress itself is not harmful… but the EXCESS of stress is!!! Acute or chronic exposure to stress causes functional and morphological alterations in the brain impair memory consolidation
Thanks for your attention!