Effects of Stress on Memory - Essay Example

?Effects of Stress on Memory In psychology, memory is the process by which information is en d, stored and retrieved. In encoding, the informationfrom external sources reaches our senses in the form of chemical and physical stimuli. Storage is the creation of permanent record of the encoded information while retrieval, recall or recollection is the calling back of the stored information in response to some need for use in a process or activity. According to Thompson et al. (2005), memory is a very extraordinary phenomenon in the real world. Brains are shaped and reorganized by our experiences. Our daily interactions, our sensory experiences, understanding and deeds transform us and determine what we are able to remember, understand, perceive and become. All data is stationed in the long-term memory, information that is acquired from learning which is unaware until it is retrieved. It includes lifetime experiences, vocabulary and knowledge of languages, facts that have been learnt, all skills learned ranging from walking and talking to music and games, emotions felt during the experiences, ongoing sensations, feelings and understandings of the world which are termed as consciousness. To him, mind cannot exist without memory. Larry Squire, University of California, San Diego provides two types of memory systems: declarative or explicit memory and non declarative memory. Declarative or explicit memory is the ability of a person to deliberately and consciously access and describe contents of their memory. Explicit memory consists of autobiographical or episodic memory which are the memories of our individual experiences and semantic memory which is the sum total of the knowledge that we possess including our vocabulary, facts, understanding of mathematics among others. Episodic memory is the ability to recollect everything consciously and accurately. Another kind of explicit memory is short term memory which refers to retention and retrieval of recently stored information that was stored a few seconds ago. It is also referred to as working memory since it involves retaining new information, transforming and using it as well as retrieving data from long-term memory to integrate with new information. Short-term memory relies most on heard rather than seen information. The storage in short term memory is limited to capacity and duration, meaning that information is not retained definitely. Long term memory on the other hand can store chunks of information for unlimited duration. How Memory is Formed As defined earlier, memory is the ability to remember and recall something that is known and experienced. This information crosses the brain through an encoding system. During the information storing process, synapses in the brain codify information, consolidate memories and position them appropriately in the brain. A synapse is the point where two neurons contact each other. Neurons regularly form new synapses and prune old ones. Synapses can also become stronger or weaker, making the communication between two contacting neurons more or less efficient. When individuals form a new memory, the brain stores the new data by altering the strengths of some synapses. Therefore, memories are encoded in the connections between neurons. Also, different kinds of memories are posted in different kinds of neurons in various parts of the brain. As one learns and experiences the world, and alterations occur at the synapses, more connections in the brain are created. The brain reorganizes itself to respond to the experiences, forming memories triggered by the effects of the external world. These changes are reinforced with use, to an extent that when the individual learns and practices new information, circuits of memory are built in the brain. Research has also showed that people’s memories are constructed. Individuals can construct their memories by encoding them or when they recall them (Daniel, 2001). Effects of Stress on Memory Stress is the normal response to threatening or dangerous situations. Individual stress response gives focus, strength, alertness, and energy to help in threatening situations. But chronic stress reduces our ability to cope with those situations and leads to harmful effects on the mind body, and emotions. Low to moderate levels of stress can improve memory while higher levels disrupt memory. This leads to lapses in attention and decision making processes to take long. Chronic stress makes the hormone adrenaline to remain active in the brain for too long which eventually injures the hippocampus, a brain area critical for memory and learning. A high level of cortisol leads to depression and memory loss since it damages the connections between brain cells. Stress plays a very vital role in modulating learning and memory processes. Cheryl (2007) argues that despite the fact that moderate acute stress can speed up information storage, high, excessive acute stress can impact memory function. Effects of stress on individuals vary from gender, personality traits and age. Chronic stress has been proved to affect a number of cognitive processes that affects performance in memory activities. Chronic stress reduces exploratory activity, enhances anxiety and depression like behavior and increases aggression between men (Cheryl, 2007). Since stress modulates performance in different processes and phases in the memory functioning, this information is very vital when interpreting data obtained in learning tasks. Emotion arousing occurrences are better remembered compared to more neutral ones. The emotional reaction can vary from mild activation to strong stress response. In this respect, stress can be perceived as a critical component in the emotional modulation of memory. The rapid identification of already experienced dangers and the capacity to improve the speed and accuracy of behavioral reaction to threats helps individuals to better cope with similar situations in future. Stress also contributes to information encoding including storage, consolidation and acquisition of information. The impact varies depending on the intensity of stress. Experiencing an acute or highly stressful circumstance can interfere with data processing linked to retrieval of information stored in the past. Also, prolonged exposure to stress can induce serious effects on brain structure and cognition, and raise the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders. The effects of stress include interference with ones capacity to encode and retrieve information. In the event that stress occurs, the body reacts by releasing stress hormones into the bloodstream. However, excess secretion affects memory negatively where the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are affected. Conclusion Distinguishing between extrinsic and intrinsic stress is the key to appreciating the complexity of mechanisms and effects involved. Intrinsic stress aids memory consolidation processes while the effects of extrinsic stress vary from individual to individual. Different memory phases also reveal different vulnerabilities to stress. It may seem unrealistic to eliminate all stress from one’s life but managing stress is important. First, identify the source of stress, take better control of reactions, thoughts and emotions, take better care of yourself and assign time for rest and relaxation. References Cheryl, D. (2007). The Handbook of Stress: Neuropsychological Effects on the Brain. Wiley & Sons Publishers. Daniel, L. (2001). The Seven Sins of Memory: How The Mind Forgets and Remembers. Trade and Reference Publishers, United States of America. Kuhlmann, S., Piel, M., and Wolf, O.T. (2005). Impaired Memory Retrieval after Psychosocial Stress in Healthy Young Men. Journal of Neuroscience, 25(11), 2977-2982. Thompson, R. (2005). Memory: The Key to Consciousness. Joseph Henry Press, Washington DC. Read More