PTSD tagged posts

Two Aplysia sensory neurons with synaptic contacts on the same motor neuron in culture after isolation from the nervous system of Aplysia. The motor neuron has been injected with a fluorescent molecule that blocks the activity of a specific Protein Kinase M molecule. Credit: Schacher Lab/Columbia University Medical Center

Different types of memories stored in the same neuron of the marine snail Aplysia can be selectively erased, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and McGill University. The findings suggest that it may be possible to develop drugs to delete memories that trigger anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without affecting other important memories of past events.
During emotional or traumatic events, multiple memories ...

The “Autism & Beyond” app uses an iPhone’s self-facing camera to assess a child’s emotional state while viewing various stimuli. The dots are landmarks automatically placed on a video of the child by the software. Credit: Autism & Beyond

Thanks in part to support from Office of Naval Research (ONR), there’s an app that may screen for autism by reading kids’ facial expressions for emotional cues. “The long-term implications of this research are huge,” said Dr. Predrag Neskovic. “Not only could the app be used to learn more about childhood autism, it could possibly reveal signs of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and mild traumatic brain injury [TBI] in warfighters—conditions that often have subtle symptoms and are difficult to diagnose.”
The app, called “Autism & Beyond,” was develop...

Previous experiment (a) When Dnmt3a2 is overexpressed in aged mice, it improves memory formation. (b) Conversely, when Dnmt3a2 is artificially reduced in young mice by shRNA-mediated knockdown, this is sufficient to disrupt memory formation. These results demonstrate the requirement for Dnmt3a2 in hippocampus-dependent memory formation.

Research findings could lead to new treatment for anxiety disorders including PTSD. Mouse experiments showed that the Dnmt3a2 protein can boost memory performance in the animals. Because this protein also affects fear memory and the ability to erase bad memories, the researchers hope these findings can be used to develop new treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and other forms of anxiety.

In an earlier study, the Heidelberg scientists learned that ...

Glass half full or half empty? What you see may depend in part on the size of your orbitofrontal cortex. Optimistic people also tend to be less anxious, research finds. Credit: Graphic by Julie McMahon

A new study finds healthy adults who have larger OFCs tend to be more optimistic and less anxious. Anxiety disorders afflict roughly 44 million people in the U.S. These disorders disrupt lives and cost an estimated $42-$47 billion annually.

The orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region located just behind the eyes, is known to play a role in anxiety. The OFC integrates intellectual and emotional information and is essential to behavioral regulation. Previous studies have found links between the size of a person’s OFC and his or her susceptibility to anxiety...