OK, we've got you in a stress state.

We're opening different pathways in your brain that help you do different things easier.

That gets both sides of the brain working together. Sometimes we just get stuck and need to activate things.

Stress hormones go up in runners and yet, under certain circumstances, these hormones don't affect the brain in a negative way.

This reinforces the idea that social support helps to lessen the negative consequences of stress.

That said, our study adds to the existing literature that positive social interactions can buffer the effects of stress on the body and brain.