More than 70% of adults will experience at least one traumatic experience, such as a life-threatening illness or accident, violent assault or natural disaster, in their lifetimes and nearly a third will experience four or more, according to global data.
While some people who have suffered trauma fully recover, others struggle to find lasting relief.
New CU Boulder research published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry sheds new light on why that may be.
Researchers found that inescapable stressors impact behavior and the brain differently than stressors that can be controlled, contributing to more generalized and enduring anxiety-like behavior. The study, conducted in mice, also implicates a specific type of brain cell, glutamate cells in the “ventral tegmental area (VTA),” as a key player underlying the impact of stressors.
“Understanding how stressful experiences shape our brain is critical in order for us to develop new treatments and therapies that can counteract these changes,” said co-senior author Michael Baratta, an assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience at CU Boulder. “This study reveals that a little-known population of cells in the brain’s reward center is critical in generating the negative consequences of exposure to stress.”
Traumatic experiences, the authors note, can lead to a broad range of negative consequences. Some people experience “associative” responses, meaning that thoughts, feelings or external reminders like people, places or things related to the original trauma can prompt anxiety and fear. For instance, a war veteran might flinch at the sound of a car backfiring or fireworks crackling.
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