Traumatic experiences affect not only our lives, but also the functioning of the brain. Scientists already have evidence of this.
Traumatic events leave their mark on the psyche and change lives forever. Researchers at the ZVR Lab at the Del Monte Neurology Institute at the University of Rochester are studying how trauma affects the physiological functioning of the brain. It turns out that there is a lot, because after difficult experiences, the human brain reprograms itself.
According to scientists, trauma affects the functioning of the mechanism in the brain responsible for the process of learning and survival. The reaction of these people to a threat is different than those who have never experienced any traumatic event.
“In this case, we know where the changes occur in the brain and how some people can bypass them. It’s a measure of resilience,” said Suarez-Jiménez, a professor at Columbia University Medical Center in Irving.
Studies have been conducted, including in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. They were given the same tasks as people who did not have post-traumatic stress disorder. It turned out that they can perform them if they do not cause any emotions. Adding an element of fear or threat to a task made it hard for them to focus.
“Perhaps in the real world, emotions inhibit their cognitive ability to distinguish between safety, danger, and reward. The brain overreacts to danger.”
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