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By Trang Au
The brain is arguably the most vital organ within the human body. It holds our memories, controls our thinking and information processing patterns, and most importantly, enables our senses and other organ systems. In short, the absence of the brain will result in the cessation of life. Like many of the other organs that make up the human body, the brain is inherently subjected to a plethora of conditions that may render itself present within the host with time such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. However, brain degradation can hail from both intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli derived from the environment people surround themselves with every day regardless of age.
Neuroplasticity can be characterized as the brain’s ability to “change” and adapt in response to learning, environmental changes, and even injuries. In some cases, neural plasticity allows for your brain to change its structure and function, and reorganize a multitude of its parts, including synapses. Synapses are the connections between one neuron to another neuron (or target cell) in order to warrant communication via electrical or chemical signals. Without synapses, we wouldn’t have memories or the special capacity to learn. This unique characteristic can be hindered and impeded by several inducements.
The most common stimuli are emotional such as stress triggers. When someone encounters a stressful experience–such as the death of a loved one, a traumatizing event, and more persistently seen in students, pressure from studies and academics–the hypothalamus is activated. This component of the brain acts as the primary regulator of homeostasis. The hypothalamus now excretes a neuropeptide hormone: corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH). From here, the anterior pituitary (front of the pituitary gland) releases another hormone by the name of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) that triggers the body’s adrenal glands to synthesize and release glucocorticoid. Let’s focus on investigating the final hormone attained from this complex mechanism: adrenal glucocorticoids (GCs).
If we were to break down “adrenal glucocorticoid” into simpler terms, we’d end up with a steroid hormone (“corticoid” [alternating term for “corticosteroid”] meaning any steroid hormone stemming from the adrenal cortex) derived from cholesterol (prefix “gluco-” meaning “sugar”) extracted from the organism’s adrenal glands. Once the GCs are released into the bloodstream, the body returns to homeostasis. Though this is primarily a beneficial function, excessive and high-dosages of GCs within the organism as a result of increased levels of stress can detrimentally pose adverse effects. Some of these dangers include rising blood sugar levels, weight gain, osteoporosis (disease that weakens bones and makes them brittle), and most importantly, inhibition of neuroplasticity.
The effect, similar to that of Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, is not instantaneous. Over time, behavior and learning changes will severely impact one’s life. This can look like complications in consuming and retaining new information, failure to adapt to an environment, and difficulties in recovering from injuries. So the next time you feel yourself crushing under the pressure and weight of studying, consider taking a break and recouping after you’ve put your mind at ease. Your future self will thank you.
Sources
Sources
Myers, B., McKlveen, J.M. and Herman, J.P. (2014a) Glucocorticoid actions on synapses, circuits, and behavior: Implications for the energetics of stress, Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4422101/ (Accessed: 22 July 2025).
Puderbaugh, M. (2023) Neuroplasticity, StatPearls [Internet]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557811/ (Accessed: 22 July 2025).
Chourpiliadis, C. (2023) Physiology, glucocorticoids, StatPearls [Internet]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560897/ (Accessed: 22 July 2025).
Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. (2019) Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), News Medical. Available at: https://www.news-medical.net/health/Corticotropin-Releasing-Hormone.aspx (Accessed: 22 July 2025).
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