Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. Signal., 29 November 2011
Vol. 4, Issue 201, p. ec334
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.4201ec334]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Neuroscience The Stressed Brain

Peter R. Stern

Science, AAAS, Cambridge CB2 1LQ, UK

Animal experiments have shown that stressors trigger a neurochemical cascade that leads to the release of stress-related neuromodulators. These modulators change the cognitive state of the brain by altering the connectivity of large-scale neuronal populations. In human test subjects, Hermans et al. compared a neutral paradigm with the effects of an acute stressor on functional brain activity and simultaneous changes in subjective reports of emotionality and physiological measures of neuroendocrine and autonomic activity. Robust stressor-related changes in functional neuronal activity and connectivity within a so-called salience network of brain areas were observed, which correlated with increased reports of negative emotionality by the participants, as well as with increases of cortisol and alpha amylase in their saliva.

E. J. Hermans, H. J. F. van Marle, L. Ossewaarde, M. J. A. G. Henckens, S. Qin, M. T. R. van Kesteren, V. C. Schoots, H. Cousijn, M. Rijpkema, R. Oostenveld, G. Fernández, Stress-related noradrenergic activity prompts large-scale neural network reconfiguration. Science 334, 1151–1153 (2011). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: P. R. Stern, The Stressed Brain. Sci. Signal. 4, ec334 (2011).

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882