How the brain overcomes fear: Study points to a ‘switch’, promises hope for anxiety and PTSD treatments

Brain learns and evolves. Fear is an instinct, but it learns to not be scared of everything over time. Study shows a brain region that acts as the off-switch.

Anxiety and PTSD are challenging mental disorders that can hamper day-to-day functioning. Scientific communities are continuously looking for treatments to manage these conditions. A discovery shows new hope for fear-related disorders' treatments as a study delved into how brain processes fear and overcomes it. The answer lies in the brain's mechanism itself.

Fear is normal, and with experiences brain learns to not view the threat as dangerous. (Shutterstock)

The study published in the journal Science explored how the brain learns to overcome fears, a region which works like a switch that helps override them. This discovery could pave the way for treating anxiety and fear-related problems like PTSD.

How brain overcomes fear

Fears are out of instincts, but over time, brain learns not to fear everything.(Shutterstock)

Fear is innate and is important, a fundamental survival instinct, alerting the threats to stay safe. But with experience, as one grows, people start to see these threats as less harmless.

The study experimented on mice to see how they suppress the instinctive fear response to visual threats. So initially the mice were exposed to a shadow that appeared like a predator. The mice sought shelter out of fear and panic. But after repeatedly seeing, and understanding that there is no actual threat, they learned, adapted and stayed calm.

The machinery behind this adaption to fear is unique and shows how even the brain activates certain regions more.

The researchers found that in the beginning both the visual cortex and Ventrolateral Geniculate Nucleus (vLGN) help in processing the fear. They work together to understand the threat.

Two parts of the brain are included in this fear process: the visual cortex and vLGN. The visual cortex is responsible for understanding visual stimuli, and whether they are threatening or not. In this context, it tried to understand the shadow the mice feared initially. The visual cortex is the part of the brain that helps process and understand the threat, whether it is harmful or not.

vLGN is for visual processing and stores the memory of safety. Once the brain learns that the threat isn't dangerous, vLGN keeps this information active to stop from reacting to the same threat in future.

Visual cortex won't get all worked up when a similar threat is seen again. vLGN stays active to suppress the fear. Endocannabinoids help in keeping vLGN active.

It shows how the brain is good at learning, turning certain regions on and off, to adapt. Initially, multiple regions of the brain may work together to examine the threat and process the emotions, but only certain areas like vLGN, take over to remind the memory of safety and reduce the fear reactions.

Important for PTSD and Anxiety

Therapy can be modified to trigger the vLGN .(Shutterstock)

PTSD and anxiety are fear-related disorders. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs after experiencing a traumatic event like an accident, and they undergo severe emotional stress and often are reminded of the trauma with flashbacks, making them fearful all the time. And anxiety is excessively worrying about an anticipated outcome.

This discovery is important as it will help in controlling fear. People with anxiety and PTSD often grapple with fear triggered by specific events or stimuli.

With this discovery, with the help of therapy, vLGN (learned safe memories) can be tapped into, helping people overcome their fears. Since the vLGN has been identified as a game-changer for fear responses, therapies can be tailored to target this region specifically. It’s all about teaching and rewiring the brain to respond calmly.

vLGN is an important switch that helps in responding calmly to threats. It gives confidence as it stores the memory that you have dealt with this before, and it is not as dangerous as believed.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.