Study Uncovers Brain Link That Could Help Treat Anxiety, Depression
India-West News Desk
CHICAGO, IL – A team of scientists has uncovered new insights into brain regions that facilitate social interactions and their ongoing communication with the ancient amygdala, a discovery that could offer new approaches to treating psychiatric conditions like anxiety and depression.
In a recent study published in Science Advances and led by researchers from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, the team aimed to understand how humans developed the ability to reflect on others’ thoughts and emotions. “We often find ourselves wondering, ‘What is that person feeling or thinking? Did I say something that upset them?'” explained senior author Rodrigo Braga.
The researchers identified parts of the brain involved in social cognition, which have expanded in humans over evolutionary time. This suggests that understanding others’ mental states is a relatively recent development in human evolution. “Essentially, you’re putting yourself in someone else’s mind and making inferences about their thoughts, even when you can’t directly know what they’re thinking,” Braga added.
The study revealed that the newly evolved regions of the brain, which support these social processes, are in constant communication with the amygdala, an ancient part of the brain responsible for detecting threats and processing fear. While the amygdala is often referred to as the “lizard brain” due to its role in primal responses, it also influences behaviors related to social interactions, such as parenting, mating, aggression, and navigating social hierarchies.
Braga emphasized that while previous research has shown co-activation between the amygdala and regions involved in social cognition, their study is unique in revealing that this communication is continuous. A specific area within the amygdala, called the medial nucleus, plays a crucial role in social behaviors and is now shown to be connected to these newer brain regions.
This link between the amygdala and the social cognitive network is significant because it allows the latter to access the amygdala’s processing of emotionally charged information, shaping our social behavior. Researchers noted that conditions like anxiety and depression, which often involve hyperactivity in the amygdala, can lead to excessive emotional responses and difficulties in emotional regulation.
The study’s findings could pave the way for more effective treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive procedure that uses this brain connection to potentially improve the management of anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders.
