Normandie University researchers have identified critical links between the brain’s inhibitory memory control mechanisms and resilience to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They examined how the hippocampus and prefrontal memory control processes adapt over time in individuals exposed to trauma, with findings suggesting that the plasticity of these systems supports recovery from PTSD and protects against further neurological damage.
PTSD involves intrusive memories and emotional distress following trauma, with significant attention previously focused on stress vulnerability and hippocampal alterations. The hippocampus, critical for memory processing, is highly susceptible to stress, which can result in structural and functional impairments.
Brain resilience is the process that mitigates stress effects and involves neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to reorganize itself. The specific neural mechanisms underlying resilience have remained unclear, though outcomes related to regional brain activation have been observed.
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