U.S. study finds fear on-off switch in brain

[IDemo]

Reuters
Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:42pm

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. researchers said on Wednesday they had identified an "on-off" switch in the brain that controls the emotional response to fear, and said it might some day be manipulated to help patients with anxiety disorders.

The team at Columbia University Medical Center used a simple attention test and a type of real-time brain scan called functional magnetic resonance imaging, which can catch the brain in action.

It showed an area in the rostral cingulate or rACC region of the brain was involved in turning on or off the fear response in the amygdala -- the almond-shaped brain center where emotional responses to fear are processed.

"People are exposed to an ever-increasing amount of stimuli in our everyday lives, and so we realized that the brain must employ a processing mechanism to prioritize and refine responses -- we don't run away from every loud sound or unexpected sight," said Dr. Joy Hirsch, who led the study, published in the journal Neuron.

more-> http://tinyurl.com/nucmx

[IDemo]

1. Fear-On. Apply it directly to your forehead

[truthisfreedom]

2. Fear-off... tell all of your neighbors to vote Democratic Party this year!

yay! woohoo!

[Nite Owl]

3. That would sure mess things

up for the GOP. It's all they got.

[Dem2theMax]

4. We figure this one out and there goes the repuke platform!

Someone HURRY up with this on/off switch. We need it yesterday.

[Neshanic]

5. A "clapper" for your brain. "Fear on, fear off. The Clapper!"

[Lithos]

6. And the first use will be on troops

To make them "fearless".

[LizW]

9. Wasn't there a movie about that?

Or maybe an episode of X-Files?

We may end up with something like the "reavers" in the movie "Serenity".

[Tellurian]

10. Exactly what I was thinking.

In fact there is a movie where this technique is employed on new age soldiers
showing how too much of a good thing can come back and bite you in the butt!

Especially after these troops are reintroduced into a familial social setting.

[The2ndWheel]

7. Well lets hope that isn't true

Manipulation of the brain. That's exactly where we need to go. No, seriously.

[NashVegas]

8. Wow, Great

Science has figured out a way to do what abusive, manipulative people have made an art of, for centuries.

[Tesha]

11. Starship Troopers, here we come.

Mobile Infantry? Well we'll just flip this little ole
switch in your brain and then off you go! Kill Bugs!

Tesha