Myelin is responsible for conducting electrical signals through nerve cells in the brain. Myelin is produced by cells known as oligodendrocytes – which increase in number as a result of chronic stress. Daniela Kaufer, from the University of California/Berkeley (California, USA), and colleagues completed a set of experiments that reveals that chronic stress generates more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons than normal. This results in an excess of myelin – and thus, white matter – in some areas of the brain, which the researchers suspect disrupts the delicate balance and timing of communication within the brain. The study authors submit that their data presents a “novel model in which stress may alter hippocampal function by promoting oligodendrogenesis, thereby altering the cellular composition and white matter structure.”
Chronic Stress Raises Mental Health Risks
Chronic stress may cause physiological changes to the brain that may make people prone to anxiety and mood disorders, later in life.
S Chetty, A R Friedman, K Taravosh-Lahn, E D Kirby, C Mirescu, et al. “Stress and glucocorticoids promote oligodendrogenesis in the adult hippocampus.” Molecular Psychiatry, 11 February 2014.
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