Stress Can Shrink your Brain Size

Corticosteroids can kill brain cells

According to researchers, suffering from stress for long periods of time can shrink the brain and even cause dementia. The chemicals released by the body during prolonged stress periods are toxic to brain tissue reported The Daily Telegraph.

The types of stress linked to the condition include those people that were in loveless marriages, dead-end-jobs and post-traumatic situations. Researches informed that the chemicals called corticosteroids, can kill off brain cells if the concentrations remain high over long periods.

The hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for creating memories, is particularly susceptible. The discovery was made after doctors treated Wall Street bosses for post-traumatic stress disorder after the September 11 attacks. (AV)