Stress can have complex effects on memory. It can enhance memory for severely stressful experiences, such as traumatic memories, but can also impair the ability to recall information when needed. Stress shuts down the prefrontal cortex, prioritizing immediate responses and making it difficult to remember things from before the stressful event. Chronic stress can be neurotoxic, affecting brain areas crucial for memory like the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.