Stress changes the way memories are stored and retrieved in the brain (study)

 A new study conducted recently by researchers in Canada has revealed that stress changes the way negative memories are stored and retrieved in the brain.

Researchers at Toronto Children's Hospital explained that this change leads to the generalization of painful memories to situations unrelated to the original incident, which may exacerbate post-traumatic stress disorder.

Stress is a physiological and emotional response that occurs when a person faces pressures or challenges in their daily lives. Although this response may be useful in some situations, such as facing a test or giving a presentation, chronic or severe stress can lead to health and psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression, and affect the ability to think and concentrate.

In the study, published in the journal "Cell", the researchers found that stress resulting from traumatic events, such as violence or generalized anxiety disorder, can go beyond the original event, leading to the generalization of negative memories to situations unrelated to the original incident.

For people with PTSD, this phenomenon may have greater consequences, such as increased fear response in safe and non-threatening situations, leading to a constant feeling of anxiety and tension, and negatively affecting the quality of daily life. As a result, the person may have difficulty interacting with their environment normally, which increases their psychological suffering and contributes to the exacerbation of symptoms.

In a step towards treatment, the researchers discovered a way to limit this phenomenon, by blocking certain receptors in brain cells, which may help restore proper privacy to memories and reduce the negative symptoms of PTSD.

The team indicated that the results of this study represent an important step towards improving the quality of life for people suffering from stress-related psychological disorders, and may lead to the development of new therapeutic techniques that target regulating the brain's response to stress, which helps reduce exaggerated negative memory reactions in people with PTSD or other anxiety disorders.