” We know that the network of afferent neuron that connects the frontal lobes to the amygdala is involved in fear actions. The connections in between these brain structures are modified in people with PTSD and other stress and anxiety disorders,” says Estelle Barbier, assistant teacher in the Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN), and the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) at Linköping University, who led the research study.
The scientists have formerly found that levels of PRDM2 are lower in alcohol reliance, and lead to overstated stress reactions. In people, it is extremely typical for alcohol dependence and anxiety-related conditions to be present at the exact same time, and the researchers think that this is caused by common systems behind these conditions.
In order for new memories to last, they should be supported and preserved as long-term memories. This process is referred to as “combination”. The scientists in the existing study have examined the impacts of decreased levels of PRDM2 en route fear memories are processed.
” We have recognized a mechanism in which increased activity in the network in between the frontal lobes and the amygdala increases learned fear reactions. We show that down-regulation of PRDM2 increases the consolidation of fear-related memories,” says Estelle Barbier.
When the level of PRDM2 is reduced, the scientists have also determined genes that are affected. It became clear that this resulted in an increase in the activity of afferent neuron that link the frontal lobes and the amygdala.
” Patients with stress and anxiety conditions may benefit from treatments that damage or remove worry memories. The biological system that we have actually identified includes the down-regulation of PRDM2, and we currently do not have any way of increasing it.
Reference: “An epigenetic mechanism for over-consolidation of worry memories” by Riccardo Barchiesi, Kanat Chanthongdee, Michele Petrella, Li Xu, Simon Söderholm, Esi Domi, Gaelle Augier, Andrea Coppola, Joost Wiskerke, Ilona Szczot, Ana Domi, Louise Adermark, Eric Augier, Claudio Cantù, Markus Heilig and Estelle Barbier, 21 September 2022, Molecular Psychiatry.DOI: 10.1038/ s41380-022-01758-6.
The research study was moneyed by the Swedish Research Council, Region Östergotland, Stiftelsen Psykiatriska Forskningsfonden, the Wallenberg Foundations, and the Knut och Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
The research study adds to our understanding of the procedures behind anxiety-related conditions and reveals commonalities in between stress and anxiety and alcoholism.
A biological mechanism has been identified by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden that increases the strength with which fear memories are kept in the brain The research, conducted in rats, was released in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry. It supplies brand-new insights into the procedures behind anxiety-related disorders and determined shared systems of stress and anxiety and alcoholism.
In certain conditions, such as post-traumatic tension disorder (PTSD) and other conditions linked to stress and anxiety, the worry reactions end up being excessive and continue even when they are no longer necessary. Researchers think that some people are predisposed to establishing pathological fears, which are triggered by problems with how the brain processes afraid memories.
Scientists at Linköping University, including Riccardo Barchiesi and Estelle Barbier, have discovered a biological system that increases the strength with which fear memories are saved in the brain. Credit: Anna Nilsen/Link öping University
Some brain regions are specifically important for processing fear-related memories. When threatened, the amygdala is triggered and works together with parts of the frontal brain lobes, referred to as the “prefrontal cortex,” which are crucial for emotion policy.
In specific conditions, such as post-traumatic stress condition (PTSD) and other conditions connected to stress and anxiety, the worry responses become extreme and continue even when they are no longer needed. Scientists believe that some people are inclined to developing pathological fears, which are caused by issues with how the brain processes fearful memories.
In order for brand-new memories to last, they must be supported and preserved as long-lasting memories. The scientists in the present research study have actually examined the effects of decreased levels of PRDM2 on the method worry memories are processed.
” Patients with anxiety conditions may benefit from treatments that weaken or eliminate fear memories.
