Excessive concentrations of cortisol destroy synaptic connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain that is important in memory storage, and neurons in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates a person’s will to live and influences a person’s decision making and memory storage. The breakdown of synaptic connections in these regions leads to the flattening of emotion and to the impaired memory and concentration that accompany major depression and chronic stress.
