Sydney: A new study by researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia has found that acute stress can significantly disrupt the brain's ability to regulate emotions, particularly in individuals with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder.
The research, which reviewed findings from 17 international studies, highlights how stress can impair executive functions—mental skills that are essential for managing emotions, making decisions, and adapting to change. These functions include working memory, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility.
“These executive functions are vital for controlling emotional responses, especially in challenging situations,” said Tee-Jay Scott, lead researcher at ECU. “Our findings suggest that people with distress-related disorders may be more vulnerable to having these executive functions disrupted under stress, even when their symptoms don’t meet the threshold for a formal diagnosis.”
For example, the study found that stress significantly weakens working memory in individuals with depression and impairs impulse control in those with borderline personality disorder. This can lead to emotional instability and difficulty coping with everyday stressors.
The study also raises questions about the effectiveness of certain treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which relies heavily on the brain’s executive functions to help individuals manage emotions and behaviors. If those functions are impaired by stress, the therapy may be less effective during periods of acute distress.
Professor Joanne Dickson, co-author of the study, explained, “If acute stress is interfering with the mental processes that support emotion regulation, it could undermine a person’s ability to benefit from these treatments, especially during periods of heightened distress.”
To improve treatment outcomes, the researchers suggest that building up cognitive skills before starting emotionally intense therapy could be helpful. They also call for more research into individual differences in how stress affects brain function and mental health.
“Understanding how stress interacts with brain function is key to improving mental health outcomes,” Scott concluded.
