What REALLY makes us worry: New region of the brain discovered that controls anx

[lighthouse33]

What REALLY makes us worry: New region of the brain discovered that controls anxiety

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2549034/Researchers-uncover-REALLY-makes-worry-New-region-brain-discovered-controls-anxiety.html

[Scottietottie]

Personally I would be wary of the veracity of ANYTHING the Daily Mail has to say.

[Katybarstool]

Me too, Scottie!

Kathyx

[Carolina]

Here the article, straight from the research team at Cal Tech.

http://www.caltech.edu/content/worry-brain

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 18 percent of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, characterized as excessive worry or tension that often leads to other physical symptoms. Previous studies of anxiety in the brain have focused on the amygdala, an area known to play a role in fear. But a team of researchers led by biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) had a hunch that understanding a different brain area, the lateral septum (LS), could provide more clues into how the brain processes anxiety. Their instincts paid off—using mouse models, the team has found a neural circuit that connects the LS with other brain structures in a manner that directly influences anxiety. - See more at: http://www.caltech.edu/content/worry-brain#sthash.h19UC6sJ.dpuf

It is very clear that there a strong biological bases for most of our behavior. 

I, for example, have severe Peripheral Neuropathy.  That means that the normal messages my legs and feet convey to my brain are 'scrambled' due to nerve damage.

Before I can consciously adjust for 'reality' my brain has received a message that I'm falling off a cliff, or tripping or whatever.  The FEAR is overwhelming, because the message to my brain is wrong, and I can't override it,  So I have the horrible FEAR first, and then realize that I'm fine.

The same thing happens the other way:  My brain tells my feet and legs to avoid an obstacle, to walk straight ahead, or whatever.

But as the message goes down the nerves, it is scrambled by the nerve damage.  And my feet and legs go of in weird directions, trip over the obvious thing right in front of me.

I have to WATCH my feet all the time, and still my whole body will stagger sideways.

I have an entire NEW appreciation for people who have had strokes, or who have 'wiring' that gives them panic attacks or anxiety attacks.

And since I've watched depression come and go with every flare, I KNOW that depression has a HUGE biochemical component.

Not my sad childhood, not my neurosis, nothing in my environment.  Just my body making me depressed.

This research is vital,  People who are struggling with 'invisible' disabilities may get relief one day.

The hardest thing is that when the wiring in our brains creates problems, it is very very very hard to realize that the problems aren't 'real'. 

And surely the world IS a scary place.  Only by strong effort of will, a very positive attitude, and a healthy dose of DENIAL do most of us get into a car, walk down a street, go on a Ferris Wheel, ride a bike, or do any of the zillions of normal things we do every day.

Hugs, Elaine