Background: Ten years ago or so I went through a traumatic period which resulted in a lot of stress and anxiety. I initially assumed there was some depression but cognition and short term memory was gradually affected such that I had serious difficulty understanding new concepts at night class. At one stage I was practically cut off from emotions. I understand that this could be partly due to something happening on the hormonal or biological level.QuestionsWhat does research show about the causal effects of stress on cognitive functioning?How is the brain affected by stress? (e.g., chemical/physical, or  perhaps a softer level). What could be done to minimise the negative effects of stress on cognitive functioning?
How can prolonged stress lead to a sustained reduction in cognitive functioning?
abnormal psychology;psychiatry;neurology;stress