Benefiting at work from Brain Based Insights

It’s brain awareness week over at the Society for Neuroscience, and they published a new study that shows how rats lose brain cells,  on the day following  stressful events.

In fact, even a single, socially stressful condition can kill off new nerve cells in the brain.  With what effect? 

Areas of the brain reduced are those that processes learning, memory, and emotion.  It was also apparent that lost brain cells also contribute to depression, according to this latest research study.

The Society for Neuroscience reported that in young rats, interestingly the stress of encountering older hostile rats did not stop the generation of new nerve cells. Rather significant – if you consider this is the  first step in the process of neurogenesis or the brain’s rewiring.

Surprisingly though, stress did prevent the cells, located in the hippocampus, from surviving, which left the rats fewer new neurons for processing feelings and emotions. You’ll likely remember that the hippocampus is where new nerve cells develop throughout life, in rats and humans.

The reduction of neurogenesis is likely one cause of depression, according to researcher Daniel Peterson, PhD, of the Rosalind Franklin University. His team reports their findings in the March 14 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

This may explain why you wake up depressed after a stressful situation. It may also give you tools to make up the loss of brain cells that occurs in stress by doing something that draws on a talent on an interest – so that the brain rewires for that more positive operation the following night. What do you think?