::A recent study focusing on traumatic memories revealed that certain people might be more prone to developing extreme or irrational fears, and this may be due to issues with how the brain processes fearful memories. There are certain areas of the brain that play a significant role in the processing of fear-related memories. While the initial formation of fear memories involves the hippocampus, they become less dependent on the hippocampus over time and are eventually stored in the prefrontal cortex. Other types of memories can also be permanently stored using a similar process. Research has shown that there are different mechanisms for storing recent and remote memories, with fear memories, in particular, maturing and becoming more stable over time.
The researchers in this study planned on developing therapeutic strategies for treating patients with post-traumatic stress disorder who experience chronic fear due to memories formed in the distant past. In order to understand how to suppress these fear memories, the researchers intend to selectively weaken the memory circuits in the prefrontal cortex and see if this affects the recall of remote fear memories. This research may provide important insights into developing effective treatments for PTSD.
How Fear Memories Get Stuck in Some Brains
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