Stress causes the amygdala and HPA axis to quite the prefrontal cortex by flooding it with dopamine and cortisol🧠
Amygdala activity triggers the VTA to release dopamine. In a stressful situation, the amygdala and HPA axis command dopamine and cortisol. These flood the prefrontal cortex and silence it, which in turn disinhibits you. This compromises your capacity to make good decisions. You struggle to differentiate between immediate or delayed gratification and you’re much more likely to react on impulse.
References
- Lustig, H., Robert. (2017). The Hacking of the American Mind Chapter 4. Killing Jiminy Stress, Fear, and Cortisol (Location 867). New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
Metadata
Type:🔵 Tags: Biology / Neuroscience / Anatomy / Neuroanatomy Status:☀️