A study recently published in the Current Opinion in Psychiatry journal found that people who live with chronic stress have an extremely high risk factor for contracting serious neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and dementia. Researchers found that untreated chronic stress has the effect of degrading the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Additionally, researchers also found out that degradation in those areas of the brain can also result in compromised long-term memory and spatial navigation. While the study’s findings are obviously unsettling, it also noted that, when caught early enough, stress-related neurological damage can be reversed.

In order to properly treat chronic stress and prevent against serious neurological damage later in life, the researchers behind the study recommended the use of common antidepressant treatments and physical activity. In addition to aerobic exercise, one activity that has repeatedly proven to be effective at busting stresses getting a massage. The reason being, massage has the ability to trigger the body’s natural relaxation response, wherein the brain releases large quantities of hormones into the bloodstream that are known to break up the brain plaque that is responsible for neurological deterioration. Follow the link below to learn more about the effects of chronic stress and how to treat it.

Read the full article here: Chronic stress, anxiety can damage the brain, increase risk of major psychiatric disorders