Can stress shrink the brain?

Stress can indeed cause certain parts of the brain to shrink, particularly the hippocampus, a region critical for memory and learning. This shrinkage is primarily linked to the effects of prolonged exposure to stress hormones like cortisol, which can damage…

How does the brain process pain?

The brain processes pain through a complex, multi-layered system involving specialized nerve pathways, brain regions, and chemical signals that together detect, transmit, interpret, and modulate painful stimuli. Pain is not simply a direct sensation but a dynamic experience shaped by…

How does dopamine affect motivation?

Dopamine profoundly influences **motivation** by acting as a key neurochemical messenger in the brain’s reward and effort systems. It modulates how we anticipate rewards, initiate actions, and sustain effort toward goals, essentially driving the desire to pursue and achieve outcomes…