After three decades of research, academics at Stanford University claim they are close to developing a vaccine to cure stress.
It is estimated that 14 million men and women in the UK suffer from stress. In fact, research shows that stress-related illnesses cause 90% of all GP visits.
This may be about to change, however, as a team of scientists from Stanford University claim they are close to developing the first vaccine to combat the effects of stress.
Dr. Robert Sapolsky, professor of neuroscience at Stanford University, believes he is close to finding a formula that would remove the need for alternative relaxation therapies such as yoga, meditation or prescribed pills.
Sapolsky claims the administration of a single injection could alter the brain chemistry to create a state of focused calm.
The conclusions have been drawn after 30 years of animal observation in Kenya.
Professor Sapolsky has found that, despite mammals producing hormones that help us deal with stress, humans are unable to do the same immediately after a threat has passed.
He claims the hormone then destroys brain cells and weakens the immune system, as well as causing continuing mood swings after the original tension has disappeared.
After early setbacks, the team have adapted a herpes virus to neutralise this excess of hormones before they can cause damage.
A Stanford University colleague added: ‘In humans, this engineered virus would short circuit the neural feedback caused by stress - that lingering feeling of tension after a crisis has passed.’
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