Boo! Scientists Strike Back at Fear

In lieu of the upcoming holiday I thought an article about fear would be appropriate.

Fear is a very overwhelming experience for human beings, whether they are young or old humans experience this emotion. Recent studies are being developed on how fear is signaled in the brain. These studies include tests on how fear effects and controls the brain when a person is spooked or experiences anxiety. Genetics seem to play a role in the development of fear in humans, as well as traumatic effects. In fact about 40 million Americans deal with issues of anxiety. Now due to advancements in medicine, scientists believe to have found a way of treating such problems.

Fear is a powerful emotion and changes how the body functions depending on its level. Fear can spark better attention and brain skills, as well as make the body able to withstand a greater amount of pain. Knowing how fear works is a very interesting topic for scientists because it is unique to each and every individual. Finding a way to control fear is a very complex and difficult problem, but scientists may be closer than ever before.

Scientists have targeted the part of the brain that is triggered by something frightful or foreign. They then tested how the process ran through the body and brain. The spot found to be the key part of the brain was the amygdala, in the deep brain. This part of the brain acts like an alarm in the brain and when stimulated sends out certain chemicals that help to overcome fear. When this chemical is not secreted properly it is very difficult for someone to overcome a fear, this may lead to a phobia. However, tests have shown that D-cycloserine helps to strengthen the chemical reaction, thus helping to overcome a fear. This method has not been tested to its full potential. Scientists believe that this is a good first step in the right direction.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Facing-Our-Fears.html