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The Neurobiological Changes to the Brains of First Responders from Stress
First responders working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world are faced with death every day. Not only the deaths of those they treat but their own if their protective gear fails. Add the stress of being away from family and lack of sleep, and you have a recipe for a catastrophe.
How does all this chronic stress from experiencing repeated trauma effect the brains of first responders and essential workers? Stress changes the fundamental structure of the brain and may lead to memory loss, and mental disorders. This article will focus on the neurological changes in the brains of first responders and essential workers from facing the COVID-19 crisis.
How Chronic Stress Causes Changes In the Brain
Repeated stress from trauma has an enormous impact on the brain, thus putting first responders and essential workers at risk of many problems. Repeated stress is a trigger for chronic inflammation throughout the body. It also plays a leading role in the formation of diabetes and heart disease.
The brain is typically protected from inflammation because circulating inflammatory cells are kept out by the blood/brain barrier. However, chronic, repeated stress causes the wall to leak and allow inflammatory…
