Neuroimaging shows the Effect of Stress on Brain Function

Stephen Spitz - New Mexico People Places and Ideas

How does stress affect brain function and conduct? Can be stress passed on epigenetically ( not experientially) to succeeding generations? Can the effect of stress on the brain actually be measured and mapped via non-invasive neuroimaging of the brain?

The Mind Research Network at UNM has been doing such brain scans since 1997 to better understand just such questions and provide objective data for patients. Physicist Julia Stephen, Director of Neuroimaging at MRN, has been using brain scans to investigate the effects of stress on brain function in early childhood and adolescents. But how can non-invasive brain scans do this—what does it see, how does it see it, and what do these scans tell us about the effect of childhood stress?

New Mexico People Place and Ideas host Stephen Spitz will put these and related questions to Dr Stephen this Friday at 8:00 am.

Produced with assistance of Gus Tafoya, and Roman Garcia.