Why babies forget, and how fear lingers in the brain
Mar 14, 2024
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Discover why infants' memories fade and how the brain encodes generalized fear. From infantile amnesia to the lingering effects of fear on the brain, this podcast explores fascinating neuroscience topics. Uncover the mysteries of memory formation and fear responses, with implications for conditions like Alzheimer's and anxiety disorders like PTSD.
Infantile amnesia suggests early memories may be suppressed rather than never formed, prompting research on memory consolidation.
Generalized fear involves a neurotransmitter switch in the brain, offering insights into potential therapeutic interventions for fear-related disorders.
Deep dives
Understanding Infantile Amnesia
Infantile amnesia refers to the phenomenon where individuals cannot recall early childhood memories. Studying this puzzling aspect of memory reveals that early memories may be suppressed rather than never formed. Research suggests that memories from infancy are possibly archived but inaccessible, leading to gaps in recollection. Studies on infantile amnesia in mice and toddlers aim to uncover how and why these memories are not readily accessible and the critical periods when memory consolidation occurs.
Neurotransmitter Switch in Generalized Fear
Generalized fear, a symptom in anxiety disorders like social anxiety and PTSD, involves a fear response to non-specific stressors. Research reveals a neurotransmitter switch in the dorsal raphe region of the midbrain during generalized fear. Neurons transition from releasing glutamate to GABA, contributing to fear responses in both mice and human postmortem brains. Prozac administration post-stressor shows potential in blocking the neurotransmitter switch, offering insights into therapeutic interventions for fear-related disorders.
Implications of Neurotransmitter Changes in Generalized Fear
The study delves into the downstream effects of neurotransmitter alterations in the dorsal raphe region, impacting brain regions associated with fear regulation like the central amygdala and lateral hypothalamus. Stress hormones play a role in triggering generalized fear, highlighting the interconnected mechanisms underlying fear responses. Discoveries in neurotransmitter dynamics open avenues for early interventions and novel therapeutic targets to address fear-related conditions at their neural roots.
Investigating “infantile amnesia,” and how generalized fear after acute stress reflects changes in the brain
This week we have two neuroscience stories. First up, freelance science journalist Sara Reardon looks at why infants’ memories fade. She joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss ongoing experiments that aim to determine when the forgetting stops and why it happens in the first place.