The brain signs of wear and tear: Chronic stress associated alpha oscillations in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex lead to fatigue
Neuroscience
Neuroscience. 2025 Dec 16:S0306-4522(25)01167-4. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2025.12.020. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Chronic stress or distress exerts profound effects on brain function, particularly in regions involved in emotion regulation and cognitive control. Here, we investigate the relationship between chronic stress, alpha oscillatory activity in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), and fatigue in a large cohort (n = 589) comprising both healthy individuals and patients with neurological or psychiatric disorders. Using resting-state EEG, we identify a negative correlation between stress-related increases in pgACC alpha oscillations and the severity of fatigue. These findings suggest that chronic stress disrupts normal inhibitory control within the pgACC, potentially leading to heightened energy demands and fatigue. Our results advance the understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying stress-related fatigue and highlight pgACC alpha oscillations as a potential biomarker for assessing chronic stress effects on brain function.
