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PTSD

·April 22, 2025·4 min read

Temporary Anxiety Impairs Threat Recognition and Learning

A brief episode of anxiety can significantly impair a person’s ability to distinguish between safe and dangerous environments, according to new research using a virtual reality flower-picking game. Participants who developed clear spatial memory of which areas contained “stinging bees” (simulated by mild shocks) exhibited lower anxiety, while those who couldn’t differentiate the zones maintained high anxiety—even in safe spaces.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 17, 2025·5 min read

Natural Disaster Trauma Disrupts Brain’s Decision Circuits

Survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire in California exhibit long-term cognitive changes, particularly in decision-making. Participants directly exposed to the wildfire showed reduced ability to choose long-term rewards and displayed hyperactivity in brain regions tied to rumination.

This shows a police officer and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 14, 2025·9 min read

Police at Greater Risk of Brain Trauma and PTSD

A large new study reveals police officers are more than twice as likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) as the general population, with those injured on duty facing double the risk of developing complex PTSD. The research, which surveyed over 600 UK frontline officers, found that 38% had experienced at least one TBI, often accompanied by symptoms like confusion or memory loss.

This shows the outline of a person and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 13, 2025·5 min read

The Body Remembers: Trauma Leaves Lasting Biological Imprints

Survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing continue to carry hidden biological imprints of trauma, even decades after the event and in the absence of visible mental health issues. A new study reveals subtle yet significant changes in stress biomarkers, including cortisol levels, heart rate, blood pressure, and inflammatory interleukins.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·April 11, 2025·4 min read

Vivid Visual Memory May Raise PTSD Risk

A new study shows that having a vivid imagination—especially for visual details—may increase a person’s risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after trauma. In contrast, strong spatial memory skills, such as understanding where objects are located in space, may protect against PTSD symptoms, particularly in men.

This shows a couple on chairs facing each other.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 31, 2025·7 min read

Fear of Emotions Fuels PTSD-Related Conflict in Romantic Relationships

New research reveals that fear of emotions may explain why individuals with PTSD symptoms often struggle to communicate with romantic partners. The study found that people with higher PTSD symptoms were more likely to fear strong emotions, which led to less constructive and more conflict-driven communication styles.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 27, 2025·8 min read

Killing in Combat Doesn’t Always Harm Soldiers’ Mental Health

A large study of over 14,000 Norwegian veterans reveals that taking a life in combat doesn't automatically damage a soldier’s mental health—context matters. Veterans from Afghanistan, where combat was expected and rules of engagement were clear, showed no long-term psychological harm from killing.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 18, 2025·5 min read

Bystander PTSD Alters Brain Differently Than Direct Trauma

New research reveals that witnessing trauma triggers unique brain changes, distinct from those caused by experiencing trauma firsthand. The study found that indirect trauma leads to different protein degradation patterns in key brain regions involved in fear memory.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 6, 2025·5 min read

How the Brain Overcomes Instinctive Fear and Adapts to New Threats

Researchers have identified brain mechanisms that help animals suppress instinctive fear responses when threats prove harmless over time. Using a visual threat model in mice, they found that specific areas of the visual cortex are necessary for learning to override fear, but not for storing the memory. Instead, the ventrolateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) retains these learning-induced memories, regulating fear suppression.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 8, 2025·4 min read

Sleep Loss Weakens Brain’s Ability to Block Unwanted Memories

New research reveals that sleep deprivation hampers the brain’s ability to suppress intrusive memories, a process critical for mental health. The study found that well-rested individuals could engage the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to inhibit unwanted memories, while sleep-deprived participants struggled.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 2, 2025·4 min read

Poor Sleep Linked to Difficulty Controlling Unwanted Thoughts

Sleep deprivation impairs brain regions responsible for suppressing unwanted thoughts, contributing to mental health challenges. Functional neuroimaging revealed reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex and increased hippocampal activity in sleep-deprived individuals, suggesting memory control deficits.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 4, 2024·6 min read

Newly Discovered Brain Circuit Predicts Response to Stress

Researchers identified a brain circuit involving the amygdala and hippocampus that predicts resilience to stress in mice. Mice with disrupted neural communication in this circuit struggled to seek rewards, but activating the neurons restored resilience and improved decision-making.

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PTSD

Temporary Anxiety Impairs Threat Recognition and Learning

Natural Disaster Trauma Disrupts Brain’s Decision Circuits

Police at Greater Risk of Brain Trauma and PTSD

The Body Remembers: Trauma Leaves Lasting Biological Imprints

Vivid Visual Memory May Raise PTSD Risk

Fear of Emotions Fuels PTSD-Related Conflict in Romantic Relationships

Killing in Combat Doesn’t Always Harm Soldiers’ Mental Health

Bystander PTSD Alters Brain Differently Than Direct Trauma

How the Brain Overcomes Instinctive Fear and Adapts to New Threats

Sleep Loss Weakens Brain’s Ability to Block Unwanted Memories

Poor Sleep Linked to Difficulty Controlling Unwanted Thoughts

Newly Discovered Brain Circuit Predicts Response to Stress

Teenage Cannabis Use Linked to 52% Higher Schizophrenia Risk

Physical Activity Rewires the Traumatized Brain

Gene Linking Schizophrenia to Decision-Making Found

Positive Childhood Experiences and Special Health Care Needs

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