(Photo djr339 / www.flickr.com/photos/68606544@N02/6240818909.)

I want to start this post with statements Bechtereva: — I often think of the brain as if it is a separate organism, "a creature in the creature."

( Natalia Petrovna Bekhtereva (07.07.1924, Leningrad — 22.06.2008, Hamburg) — Soviet and Russian neurophysiologist. Academician of the USSR. Scientific Director of the Center "Brain" of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Institute of human brain RAS. Granddaughter Of V. M. Bekhterev.)

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body, the understanding of which reveals to man new horizons in his work. I believe that stress and depression is a major disease of the 21st century, so I would like to talk about it.

Sensitivity to stress is determined by the neural circuit connecting the emotional centre of the brain cortex – a high activity of this system indicates that the brain feels the stress is stronger than I would like.

Each person reacts differently to stress. Someone feels very strongly about problems at work, scandals in the family, some affected by even the weather, others on the contrary with a smile on my face can handle almost any stress.

In the human brain are different characteristics, due not only to innate, heredity and genetics, and other factors. What kind of features, trying to figure out the neuroscientists from Duke University: https://today.duke.edu/2014/07/stress

The researchers used in their experiments in genetically identical mice. Neuroscientists were interested in the primary response of nervous system to stress, that is, when the mouse had just been in a bad situation. It turned out that stressfulsituation mice connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and amygdalae were generally more active, while the stress-resistant mice, this neural circuit was working in a relatively relaxed mode.

Scientists believed that neural system balancing, stress will be activated only in the chronic situation – in fact, if you think logically, that the inhibitory function of the prefrontal cortex becomes needed when troubles become permanent and it becomes clear that they need to live somehow. The fact that this system begins to work immediately, suggests that stress is perceived inadequately. Perhaps, in some cases stress the neurons are so sensitive that even the primary stressful situation is similar to as if the trouble began long ago and has already managed to accumulate.

The study was conducted on mice, the same neural system, as has been said, works in humans. It is not excluded that the peculiarities of its functioning it will be possible to determine in advance of a person susceptible to stress. From a practical point of view, this diagnosis should help, for example, choice of work – it is clear that there are no good responsible leadership position, or service in the hot spots. It's also possible that acting on this neural network, it is possible to correct the situation and make the individual less sensitive to stress.

Also do not forget, as I wrote above, that there is a predisposition to stress and according to scientists, the combination of features of the brain and a person's predisposition to stress, will help identify serious mental illness in humans.

Source: https://today.duke.edu/2014/07/stress

Nature Communications.