Although Hans Selye wrote more than 1,700 papers promoting the idea that stress translates to physical problems, only in the last two decades have scientists looked seriously at the mechanics of this connection. Chemicals released under stress can change cell behavior and make you ill.
Recent pioneering work by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and Ronald Glaser professors at Ohio State University, have established the role of stress on the immune system. In an early study they found that students’ responses to hepatitis B vaccine—which mimics an infectious agent—was diminished in those with higher anxiety, higher stress and less social support. This validated an earlier finding that healing of wounds was much slower in psychologically stressed adults.
These studies are unique in that by taking blood samples, researchers could identify chemical changes in the body that might be creating these variances. Analysis points to a specific cytokine –Interleukin-6 as the mediating chemical.
These same researchers spent more than a decade studying the way married couples argue. They found that the more sarcasm and hostility a couple expresses when fighting, the higher their hormone levels rise and the more their immune functions are compromised. The chemical culprits are increased levels of epinenphrine, norepinephrin, growth hormone and ACTH. Women, having a greater sensitivity to marital conflicts, suffer greater changes in immune function. The very existence¬ of anger creates damage, not just how we express it. Research has started to show that a stressful lifestyle could also lead to the premature death of a group of neurons, whose loss triggers the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Feelings have physical consequences.
Empathy—the human ability to feel the pain that others experience¬—predisposes understanding, attachment, bonding and love. Using a brain-scanning technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (¬fMRI), researchers found that women who reported the strongest feelings of empathy while watching their loved ones endure simulated bee stings showed the greatest activity in the pain regions of the brain. Empathy in these women created levels of pain equal to that of the actual victims.
The reverse is also true. Believing that you are protected from pain because of a pill (placebo) or when someone you love is with you, the brain creates less pain. Yoga has been shown to increase the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which regulates nerve activity. GABA activity is reduced in people with mood and anxiety disorders, while drugs that increase GABA activity are commonly prescribed to improve mood and decrease anxiety.
The secret to loving your brain is to surround yourself with people you love, doing activities that enhance your well-being and minimizing stress. Start by minimizing situations that aggravate stress.
1. Learn what triggers your anger, and remove yourself temporarily from that situation 2. Always use clear, respectful, and nonaggressive language to make your feelings known.
These techniques help keep the problem in perspective and the resulting damage from anger to a minimum. Yoga allows us to gain an added boost, while being around people who love us protects us from damage. This is not easy. Loving your brain takes discipline.
Mario Garrett is a professor of Gerontology at San Diego State University can be reached at mariusgarrett@yahoo.commariusgarrett@yahoo.com
© Mario Garrett 2010.
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