Are you getting stressed about a nearing exam or crucial presentation?
If so, don’t worry. A bout of acute anxiety could be good for you.
It seems periods of pressure prime the brain to perform better – but only two weeks later.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, subjected the rats to what they believed was acutebut short-lived stress; immobilisation in their cages for a few hours.
It caused stem cells in their brains to proliferate into new nerve cells that, when mature two weeks later, improved their mental performance.
The research was published in science journal eLife.
