Organization of the stress system and its dysregulation in melancholic and atypical depression: high vs low CRH/NE states

[onedayillsailagain]

Don't be discouraged by the seeming irrelevance of this article!
 

Flexibility in affect (emotion) and cognition requires not only an activated prefrontal cortex, but also an inhibited stress system (and vice versa).

http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v7/n3/pdf/4001032a.pdf

 

Basically that says, that when you are chronically stressed to the max, your ability to change is severely limited.
Moreover, a (chronic) hyperactive stress (SNS) system, directly contributes to dysfunction of the PFC, making it even more of a challenge.

To put things in perspective: there are also many studies out there that show that stress-induced damage/alterations can be reversed by various means.