Abstract

Acute stress can improve memory, whereas chronic stress can impair memory and cognitive function. Stress has come a long way from the Hans Selye’s original concept, whereby any noxious stimuli that increased corticotropin secretion were defined as stressors. The cardiovascular effects of stress have lately been the focus of research interest. For example, people with high blood pressure tend to have exaggerated cardiovascular reactions to acute stressors and social isolation is a potentially reversible risk factor for coronary heart disease. Cultural change, as experienced by Pacific islanders and Australian aborigine, brings its own stresses. For these populations, transition itself seems to result in the enhanced output of the “stress hormones” adrenaline and cortisol. Research has shown that there is overlap between the neurocircuits that respond to drugs and those that respond to stress. Stress induces relapse to heroine, cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine self-administration. Repeated exposure to stress or to drugs of abuse is the two conditions considered major etiological factors of addiction. Onset of PTSD typically precedes onset of substance use disorder.