Title: This Is How Your Brain Reacts To Losing A Loved One
Headings: This Is How Your Brain Reacts To Losing A Loved One
This Is How Your Brain Reacts To Losing A Loved One
Grief can be healthy—but it changes your brain, too. These steps ensure a strong recovery.

Content: By Thomas Crook, PhD
Nov 3, 2011
Recently, my 58-year-old younger brother, a fit-and-sturdy Marine combat veteran, was diagnosed with lung cancer and died. Two weeks later, after an almost entirely disease-free life, I had to undergo eye surgery for cataracts. Since then, I've been thinking a lot about the inevitable setbacks we all encounter and how our brains deal with them. ( Boost your memory and age-proof your mind with these natural solutions.) Illustration by Shout
Researchers completed an intriguing study that illustrates just how profound and widespread the effect of negative personal events can be and how your brain reacts to grief. Three finance professors from major business schools tracked the performance of 75,000 Danish companies in the 2 years before and after the CEO had experienced a family death. Financial performance declined 20% after the loss of a child, 15% after the death of a spouse, and almost 10% after the demise of any other family member. Indeed, when brain imaging studies are done on people who are grieving, increased activity is seen along a broad network of neurons. These link areas associated not only with mood but also with memory, perception, conceptualization, and even the regulation of the heart, the digestive system, and other organs. This shows the pervasive impact loss or even disappointment can have.