October 29, 2004 11:33 AM

Stressed? Forgetaboutit
Posted by at 11:33 AM

If you've ever gone through a stressful day and realized you've forgotten something of utmost importance, you're not alone according to a Yale Medical School study which has found a scientific explanation for the oversight: stress makes you forgetful.

Stressful situations in which the individual has no control were found to activate an enzyme in the brain called protein kinase C, which impairs the short-term memory and other functions in the prefrontal cortex, the executive-decision part of the brain, says Dr Amy Arnsten of Yale Medical School.