Emotional stress can change brain function
January 13th, 2011 - 2:14 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Jan 13 (ANI): Researchers have found that a single exposure to acute stress affected information processing in the cerebellum - the area of the brain responsible for motor control and movement coordination and also involved in learning and memory formation.
The study was conducted by Iaroslav Savtchouk, a graduate student, and S. June Liu, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
They found that a 5-minute exposure to the odor of a predator produced the insertion of receptors containing GluR2 at the connections (synapses) between nerve cells in the brain.
GluR2 is a subunit of a receptor in the central nervous system that regulates the transfer of electrical impulses between nerve cells, or neurons.
The presence of GluR2 changed electrical currents in the cerebellum in a way that increased activity and altered the output of the cerebella circuit in the brains of mice.
“Our results lead to the testable prediction that emotional stress could affect motor coordination and other cerebellum-dependent cognitive functions,” said Liu.
Their work has been published in the January 12, 2011 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. (ANI)
- Why the brains left side is functionally different from its right side - Nov 18, 2008
- Elusive memory molecule identified - Jun 27, 2011
- Found! Cells that drive brain's adaptability - Jan 02, 2012
- Epilepsy trigger found - Mar 19, 2011
- Defective cellular battery triggers brain disease - Jan 18, 2012
- Protein key to storing long-term memories - Jan 29, 2012
- Why women feel anxious, depressed and irate at that 'time of the month' - Feb 15, 2011
- How the brain learns from mistakes - Feb 09, 2011
- Exercise, caloric restriction may delay debilitating effects of aging - Aug 03, 2010
- Structure of 'temple of the mind' unlocked - Nov 30, 2009
- Mosquito nose transplant may help in malaria fight - Feb 16, 2010
- Scientists create synthetic brain cell - Apr 25, 2011
- Lack of sleep during adolescence skews brain wiring - Oct 10, 2011
- Chip makes rats move, may help humans too - Oct 04, 2011
- Key mechanism in the development of nerve cells found - Sep 30, 2009
Tags: acute stress, brain function, cell biology, central nervous system, cerebellum, cognitive functions, electrical currents, electrical impulses, emotional stress, health sciences center, learning and memory, lsu health sciences, lsu health sciences center, lsu health sciences center new orleans, memory formation, minute exposure, motor coordination, movement coordination, nerve cells, synapses