Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances (Webster). Located at the center of the nervous system is one of the body’s most important organs, the brain. The brain is an extraordinary part of your body as is it processes every thought you have, and every word you say, by sending signals through your nervous system. There are many disorders that can inhibit the brain from functioning normally, however the one thing that can be most detrimental to the brain is the day-to-day problem of stress. Depending on the amount of stressors an individual may have their brain could be loosing a great number of brain cells daily. There are two types of stress, acute stress and chronic stress,
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(Columbia). Following this study was the study of a Greek physician named Hippocrates whose studies of the 400 B.C. pointed out that epilepsy was a disturbance to the brain. A physician named Erasistratus a native from the island of Chios noted the divisions of the brain almost exactly as they are known in present day. The discussion of the divided brain has been a controversial topic in more recent years, and has led to many discussions on how separate the brain really is. Ian McGilchrist lectured on this topic stating, “The division of the brain is something neuroscientist do not like to talk about any more.” (RSA). Continuing on with the research in 177 A.D. was Galen; a well-known physician of the Roman Empire who presented a lecture On The Brain that discussed the difference between sensory and motor nerves. Jumping to 1573 is Constalvo Varalio, the first man to cut the brain starting at the base. Perhaps one of the biggest leaps into modern day research of the brain was the use of the ultrasound to examine the brain at more depth, a landmark made by Lars Leksell. All these researchers had the same quest for a deeper understanding of the brain. Just as researchers of the past had questions about the brain, so do researchers of the present. Stress in the brain is a well-discussed topic among current neuroscientists, and more …show more content…
It results from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipates demands and pressures of the events of the near future (APA). It is almost impossible to not experience acute stress on a regular basis however this is a positive occurrence as acute stress can be good for you. If a person is at rest, typically their neurons are not being rapidly sent to the locus ceruleus, but if they are presented with a stressful situation, performing in front of a crowd for example, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal is activated and stress hormone cortisol is released (Maryland). A study done at the University Of California Berkeley shows that acute stress generates new nerve cells that in two weeks can in fact improve the ability to learn. (Science Daily). Elizabeth Kirby of UC Berkeley states, “ I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more alert, and you perform better when you are alert”. However Kirby adds that exposure to acute intense stress can sometimes be harmful and may even lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. She ended by stating, “I think the ultimate message is an optimistic one. Stress can be something that makes you better, but it is a question of how much, how long and how you interpret or perceive
(Columbia). Following this study was the study of a Greek physician named Hippocrates whose studies of the 400 B.C. pointed out that epilepsy was a disturbance to the brain. A physician named Erasistratus a native from the island of Chios noted the divisions of the brain almost exactly as they are known in present day. The discussion of the divided brain has been a controversial topic in more recent years, and has led to many discussions on how separate the brain really is. Ian McGilchrist lectured on this topic stating, “The division of the brain is something neuroscientist do not like to talk about any more.” (RSA). Continuing on with the research in 177 A.D. was Galen; a well-known physician of the Roman Empire who presented a lecture On The Brain that discussed the difference between sensory and motor nerves. Jumping to 1573 is Constalvo Varalio, the first man to cut the brain starting at the base. Perhaps one of the biggest leaps into modern day research of the brain was the use of the ultrasound to examine the brain at more depth, a landmark made by Lars Leksell. All these researchers had the same quest for a deeper understanding of the brain. Just as researchers of the past had questions about the brain, so do researchers of the present. Stress in the brain is a well-discussed topic among current neuroscientists, and more …show more content…
It results from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipates demands and pressures of the events of the near future (APA). It is almost impossible to not experience acute stress on a regular basis however this is a positive occurrence as acute stress can be good for you. If a person is at rest, typically their neurons are not being rapidly sent to the locus ceruleus, but if they are presented with a stressful situation, performing in front of a crowd for example, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal is activated and stress hormone cortisol is released (Maryland). A study done at the University Of California Berkeley shows that acute stress generates new nerve cells that in two weeks can in fact improve the ability to learn. (Science Daily). Elizabeth Kirby of UC Berkeley states, “ I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more alert, and you perform better when you are alert”. However Kirby adds that exposure to acute intense stress can sometimes be harmful and may even lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. She ended by stating, “I think the ultimate message is an optimistic one. Stress can be something that makes you better, but it is a question of how much, how long and how you interpret or perceive