Neuroscientists from Tulane and Tufts believe they have discovered how memories of fear get seared into the emotional center of the brain, potentially staying sharper even as other memories begin to fade.
In their study, published in Nature Communications, the researchers found that a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine — critical to the body’s “flight or fight” response — stimulates a specific group of neurons in the amygdala, causing them to pulse electrical discharges repeatedly.
That pulsing action changes the frequency of brain wave patterns, which in turn cause the fear memories to be created.
“Switching between different brain and behavioral states is necessary to adapt to an ever-changing environment,” the researchers wrote.
“This is the same process, we think, that goes awry in PTSD and makes it so you cannot forget traumatic experiences.”Jeffrey Tasker
Those state changes are accompanied by prominent changes in neural activity — like the pulsing amygdala neurons.
“If you are held up at gunpoint, your brain secretes a bunch of the stress neurotransmitter norepinephrine, akin to an adrenaline rush,” Jeffrey Tasker, a professor of cell and molecular biology at Tulane, said.
“This changes the electrical discharge pattern in specific circuits in your emotional brain, centered in the amygdala, which in turn transitions the brain to a state of heightened arousal that facilitates memory formation, fear memory, since it’s scary. This is the same process, we think, that goes awry in PTSD and makes it so you cannot forget traumatic experiences.”
The discovery could provide crucial insight into how to treat PTSD, depression, and other psychological disorders.
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Wataalamu wa akili kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Tulane na Chuo Kikuu cha Tufts wanaamini wamegundua jinsi kumbukumbu za hofu zinavyoingia kwenye kiini cha hisia za ubongo, na kuweza kubaki wazi hata wakati kumbukumbu nyingine zinaanza kufifia. Katika utafiti wao, uliochapishwa katika Nature Communications, watafiti waligundua kwamba neurotransmitter inayoitwa norepinephrine - muhimu kwa majibu ya mwili ya kukimbia au kupigana - huchochea kikundi maalum cha neuroni katika amygdala, na kuwafanya wapige mlipuko wa umeme mara kwa mara. Utendaji huo wa kupigapiga hubadilisha mzunguko wa mawimbi ya ubongo, ambayo husababisha kumbukumbu za hofu kuundwa. "Kubadilisha kati ya hali tofauti za ubongo na tabia ni muhimu ili kukabiliana na mazingira yanayobadilika daima", watafiti waliandika. "Hii ni mchakato sawa, tunafikiri, ambayo huenda vibaya katika PTSD na inafanya hivyo huwezi kusahau uzoefu wa kiwewe. ""Jeffrey Tasker ""Mabadiliko hayo ya hali yanaambatana na mabadiliko makubwa katika shughuli za neva, kama vile neurons ya amygdala inayopiga." "Ikiwa unashikiliwa kwa bunduki, ubongo wako hutokeza norepinephrine, neurotransmitter ya mkazo, sawa na adrenaline, "" alisema Jeffrey Tasker, profesa wa biolojia ya seli na molekuli katika Tulane." Hii hubadilisha muundo wa kutokwa kwa umeme katika mizunguko maalum katika ubongo wako wa kihisia, ulioelekezwa kwenye amygdala, ambayo kwa upande wake hubadilisha ubongo kuwa hali ya kuamsha zaidi ambayo inawezesha uundaji wa kumbukumbu, kumbukumbu ya hofu, kwa kuwa ni ya kutisha. "Hii ni mchakato sawa, tunadhani, ambayo huenda vibaya katika PTSD na inafanya hivyo huwezi kusahau uzoefu wa kiwewe. ""Ugunduzi huo unaweza kutoa ufahamu muhimu juu ya jinsi ya kutibu PTSD, unyogovu, na matatizo mengine ya kisaikolojia." Tungependa kusikia kutoka kwako! Ikiwa una maoni yoyote juu ya makala hii au ikiwa una ncha kwa hadithi ya Freethink ya baadaye, tafadhali tutumie barua pepe kwa [email protected].