Intermittent stress is associated with short term memory loss. When the stress is relieved, one’s ability to remember usually improves. However, if the stressful situation is on-going, the central nervous system begins to show progressive signs of wear and tear. This damage may be irreversible. Repeated stress can lead to the body’s inability to turn off its major biological stress pathway; a factor that can directly lead to significant memory loss.

Incidences of stress increase cortisol secretion by the adrenal glands. Ongoing stress leads to the production of glucocorticoids (the body’s natural steroids), and excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters (chemical substances that enable nerve transmission in key areas). These two substances cause the wasting away of nerve fibers termed dendrites in the hippocampus – the area of the brain that controls short term memory.