Stress kills neurons.
The reason for this is that when under stress, the body releases cortisol. Cortisol kills brain cells, especially those in the hippocampus, which is related to memory. Cortisol makes your brain more vulnerable later on to stress and makes you more susceptible to stroke.
Cortisol binds to receptors in neurons, which excites the cell into releasing more calcium. Calcium is an ion by which neurons operate: when calcium is released into their axons, vesicles containing neurotransmitters are mobilized and the neurotransmitter is released into the synaptic cleft to communicate with a nearby neuron. Calcium is very important in cell excitation. Even muscle cells use calcium to operate. However, if too much calcium is released for an extended period of time, neurons can excite themselves to death. For example, glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter, can induce excitotoxicity, whereby a neuron is hyper-excited and therefore dies.
There is hope, however. If under much stress, your goal is to reduce your stress. One way to do so is to meditate. Read this article to learn about the benefits of meditation, including ones beyond stress reduction. A common myth is that the human brain cannot grow new neurons. This is not true. Certain brain regions can produce new neurons, though the immature cells have to make connections with other neurons in order to stay alive and develop.
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