The Dr. Brighten Show How Stress Causes Brain Damage: The New Science of Cortisol, Trauma, and Women’s Brains | Dr. Jessica Peatross
Most people think of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as something caused by a fall, car accident, or physical impact. But new research is redefining TBI entirely — and it has major implications for women. Emotional trauma, chronic stress, and prolonged cortisol elevation can create measurable changes in the brain that mimic the neurological patterns traditionally seen after concussions.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jessica Peatross to explore the emerging science of stress-induced brain injury, why women are uniquely affected, and how emotional trauma disrupts everything from neurotransmitter production to gut permeability to hormone balance. We also discuss Jessica’s personal experience: a cascade of traumatic events, B-vitamin deficiencies, functional freeze, personality changes, and escalating neurological symptoms that eventually led to the discovery of a right-sided brain injury.
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