The mechanism of fear: how to wean the brain to be afraid

How does the mechanism of fear

Imagine that you see running at you stray dog. At this point, the dog's picture, the sound of her running and other sensory information through the thalamus and the cerebral cortex is passed in the amygdalaEmotional Learning: Fear and loathing in the amygdala body - the emotional center of the brain.

This pair deep in the brain structure, consisting of several nuclei. For fear meet twoDamage to the Lateral and Central, but Not Other, Amygdaloid Nuclei Prevents the Acquisition of Auditory Fear Conditioning Kernel: lateral and central. Lateral nucleus works as a receiver: receives information from other structures. A central - as a transmitter: sends the team what to do next.

Your amygdala decides that running a dog - it is dangerous, and sends dispatches to other brain structures:

• Hypothalamus. He makes the adrenal glands to throw into the blood hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, due to which your body is preparing to flee or fight: in favor
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  sweat, Pupils dilate, breathing quickens, the blood rushes to the brain and muscles, digestion slows down.
• Periaqueductal gray. Because of it, you stay put, like a deer in the light of the headlamps. It would seem that the reaction of confused: it would be better looked for a stone or a stick to ward off the dog. But your brain does not think so. Millions of years of evolution tells him that freeze - profitable strategy. After all, if the predator can pass, and you will not have to expend energy to escape, risking someone's dinner.
• Paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. This structure gives the order of cortisol - a stress hormone. It saves energy, to help you survive in a dangerous situation. In addition, cortisol allows the amygdala to turn on the full: once a dangerous situation, it is necessary to respond to any frightening stimuli, and this amygdala - the master.

Let's say the dog was really dangerous, you barked or bitten. The amygdala is a strong link entrenched image of the animal, and the pain from the bite. Now the kind of dog running at you will cause fear, even if it is a friendly neighborhood dog. Moreover, each new episode of fear caused by the dog, will strengthen the neural connections in the amygdala and hippocampus, and with them, and your fear of the human four-legged friends.

But this does not mean that you will panic at the sight of a dog to the end of his days. Due to neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to consolidate and weaken the connections between neurons - you can get rid of the fear.

How to conquer fear

Retrain your brain action

As we said above, the central nucleus of the amygdala is actively involvedThe amygdala in creation of fear: it binds safe incentives presumably dangerous and sends signals to other brain structures. Due to the work of this nucleus neighbor's dog, which never you do not bite, it makes your heart beat faster, and palm - sweating.

In his book "The Taming of the amygdala"John Arden said that the central core can beat the other part of the amygdala - a supporting kernel of the boundary strip. To activate it, you need to take specific actions, such as pat neighbor's dog.

In addition, action and activates the prefrontal cortex. And then the following occurs: signals continue to arrive in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala, but actively suppresses the prefrontal cortexStimulation of medial prefrontal cortex decreases the responsiveness of central amygdala output neurons. the connection between the lateral and central nuclei. As a result of the central core does not leave any commands - fear does not arise.

If you want to get rid of fear - go to meet him.

Want to conquer a fear of dogs - Get your dog or play with a friend. Prefrontal cortex will assess the situation and will not allow the amygdala to express fear. As a result, the image of the dog loses marked "danger" and you will cease to tremble on its type.

And here is how long you have to play with another dog and whether fear, if you suddenly see a stray dog ​​comes back depends on how long you were afraid.

Do this as soon as possible

The faster you make a step towards your fears, the better. Each episode of fear establishes neuronal connections in the amygdala, so that you become more and more difficult to overcome it.

The ideal time to deal with fear - the first week after its consolidation. Researchers from McGill University foundA single standard for memory: the case for reconsolidation.That forgetting the fear associated with receptors in the CP-AMPAR neurons in the lateral amygdala.

On the first day after the new fear of the number of these receptors increases, and then for a week returning to the previous number. After that, the fear is firmly fixed, it becomes more difficult to deal with it.

In experiments on mice, scientists have identified the perfect scheme to combat terror: in the first day after its consolidation need to see again a frightening stimulus, and then to work towards weaning from fear. For example, first you watch the video with an evil dog, and after half an hour of good petting a neighbor's dog.

Video activates fear and ensure neuronal plasticity and play with the dog will help get rid of the fear. However, this scheme works only in the first week, while CP-AMPAR receptors did not return to the previous number. If the "overdue" work with fear, completely get rid of it will be much harder.

To fear is not entrenched, try to overcome it as soon as possible.

Activate the prefrontal cortex

Since the prefrontal cortex can suppress excessive work tonsils, its activation willDorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Emotional Anticipation and Neuropsychological Performance in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder struggle with fear and anxiety.

There are two proven ways to "turn on" the part of the brain:

• Workout. Physical exercise increasesAcute effects of physical exercise on prefrontal cortex activity in older adults: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study the activity of the prefrontal cortex.
• Meditate. meditation increasesAcute effects of physical exercise on prefrontal cortex activity in older adults: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. number of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex and reducesMindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks it in the amygdala. That's why Buddhist monks are quiet after years of practice decreased amygdala and ceased to be frightened of anything and everything. but single meditation will not help to structural changes in the brain have to meditate for at least eight weeks for 40 minutes a day.

Remember, meditation and sport will help you deal with anxiety, but does not relieve you of the already existing fears. This can be done only by deliberately placing themselves in similar stressful situation that will end happily.

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