How trauma changes the brain

Researchers are learning more about how traumatic events affect our brains physically. Changes in a brain mechanism used for learning and survival have been discovered by neurologists to play a role in how someone responds to a threat following a traumatic experience. Another study discovered that a mechanism involved in emotion and memory is impacted, making it difficult for someone suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to distinguish between safety, danger, and reward. It overgeneralizes in favor of danger. The hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex are thought to be key players in PTSD. Two neurochemical systems that are vital to the stress response are cortisol and norepinephrine.These findings have the potential to significantly advance future treatments. The delicate chemical structure and equilibrium of the brain can be altered by traumatic stress. Depending on the type of traumatic stress we are experiencing, these consequences, which may affect how we function, can range from mild to severe. For instance, some individuals get PTSD, which affects 8% of Americans at some point in their lives and can also cause depression, substance misuse, dissociation, personality problems, and health issues. Even though the brain is extremely

complicated, one of its main jobs is to keep us safe. Our brain turns experiences into memories as we move through life so that we can give higher priority to activities that produce positive outcomes and steer clear of those that do not. Our brains work extra hard to keep us safe after tragedy. Long after the threat or traumatic experience has passed, the brain continues to alert us of the present danger based on negative patterns of the past. The way the brain functions is altered by this response. Furthermore, trauma is a life changing event which affects humans and their brains in many ways.

Keywords: Trauma, PTSD, physical, brain