Summary: Does the community of bacteria in your gut determine how you handle a high-pressure situation? A new study provides fresh evidence that the human gut microbiome is intrinsically linked…
Category: stress
Double Shifts Wreck the Body’s Stress Rhythm
Summary: For most people, the “stress hormone” cortisol hits its lowest point at midnight, allowing the body to recover and rest. However, new research reveals that for nurses working double…
Emotional Stress Triggers Instant Arousal From Deep Sleep
Summary: A new study uncovers a precise brain pathway that rapidly converts emotional stress into sudden wakefulness during NREM sleep. Researchers found that GABAergic neurons in the BNST activate glutamatergic…
Stress Levels Predict Cannabis Use
Summary: New research shows that rats with naturally higher baseline stress hormone levels are significantly more likely to self-administer cannabis vapor. Over several weeks, rats were allowed to nose-poke for…
AI Uncovers Hidden Stress Damage in the Body
Summary: Researchers developed an AI tool that detects chronic stress by measuring adrenal gland volume on routine chest CT scans. This biomarker aligns with cortisol levels, stress questionnaires, and future…
Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething
Summary: New research shows that infants whose mothers had higher cortisol levels during late pregnancy experience significantly earlier eruption of primary teeth. Babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels…
Stress Undermines Brain Circulation, Increases Dementia Risk
Summary: Researchers found that a rare class of neurons—type-one nNOS neurons—plays a central role in regulating brain blood flow and coordinating neural activity in mice. Removing these stress-vulnerable cells caused…
Positive Memories Boost Musicians’ Performance by Reframing Stress
Summary: A new study reveals that recalling positive memories before stepping on stage can significantly boost musicians’ performance. Professional wind instrumentalists who reflected on positive experiences showed higher nervous system…
Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids
Summary: Long-term stress, measured through hair cortisol, may help predict mental health risks in children living with chronic physical illnesses. In a four-year study of 244 children, researchers found that…
Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression
Summary: A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in the skull and collect in the brain’s protective membranes, where they contribute…
