Stress is contagious

If your partner is stressed, the chances are high that you may suffer stress too, say researchers, including one of Indian-origin, who have found that stress is contagious.

The study, in mice, also showed that stress alters the brain on a cellular level.

"Brain changes associated with stress underpin many mental illnesses including PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), anxiety disorders and depression.

"Recent studies indicate that stress and emotions can be 'contagious'. Whether this has lasting consequences on the brain is not known," said Jaideep Bains, Professor, Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Calgary.

For the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the research team studied the effects of stress in pairs of male and female mice. They removed one mouse from each pair and exposed it to a mild stress. Continue reading.

Originally posted on The Quint.

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