A biochemical pathway in the part of the brain that deals with fear has been discovered.

[snagglepuss]

Scientists hope the discovery leads to new treatment for anxiety and PTSD.

snip

The research team, led by Dr Robert Pawlak of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Leicester in the UK, has shown that an enzyme called neuropsin may play a key role in anxious behaviour.

"Neuropsin was known to be important in learning and memory but its role in the amygdala has never been studied", says Pawlak.

snip


Pawlak and his team compared normal mice with "knock-out" mice which were unable to make neuropsin. Both types of mice were restrained from moving for a while, an experience which put them under stress. The neuropsin levels in the normal mice rose after stress by 50%.

The team went on to demonstrate a cascade of events whereby the raised neuropsin levels eventually led to a 21-fold increase in the activity of a gene which is thought to be important in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.


http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/04/21/3196792.htm

[izquierdista]

1. A cure for conservatism?

That's even better than a cure for cancer, considering how conservatism ruins more lives.

[libguy_6731]

3. yep

[MikeE]

2. Or a new weapon for police

to try to stop protesters