Chronic stress leads to amygdala atrophy and impaired hippocampal function, while simultaneously causing amygdala hypertrophy and increased neuronal excitability.

“in the amygdala like the hippocampal story is stress and glucocorticoids screw it up neurons don't work as well networks don't work as well the overall size decreases you in atrophy and the amygdala it's the exact opposite story neurons work better than they should neurons become more excitable form denser networks the amygdala gets bigger”