Neurons Can Rewrite Traumatic Memories, Reducing Fear And Anxiety

Neurons Can Rewrite Traumatic Memories, Reducing Fear And Anxiety    

This Is Done Through A Process Called Exposure Therapy    

Traumatic memories caused by stressful events can stay in the mind, resulting in depression, chronic anxiety, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is a way of removing these memories, called exposure therapy, in which the patient is re-exposed the distressing stimulus in a controlled environment, breaking the relation of fear or anxiety. This therapy works on a cellular level, in which the neurons rewrite traumatic memories. However, researchers are not certain how neurons store the traumatic memories. They have associated the reduction of long-lasting trauma with the activation of the same neurons involved in memory storage located in a part of the hippocampus. These neurons are used for memory retrieval and abatement of fear. Also, the brain seems to generate new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. In tests with laboratory animals, scientists could review that certain neurons were active in the presence of fear, but decreased their activity after exposure therapy. Additional details click here.