Figure 1: Image from National Institute of Mental Health
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This blog is being presented in three parts. The first introduced you to Alex and the diagnosis of PTSD. Today’s blog reviews some of the research into the mechanisms of the brain that result in formation of PTSD and introduces a unique state-of-the-art treatment based on that research. The third part will demonstrate how and why this treatment works. Throughout these postings I have highlighted certain words with links to additional information if you want to read more.
Byron Lewis
Author of The Magic of NLP Demystified
and Sobriety Demystified
Part 2: The Anatomy of PTSD
While there have been numerous attempts to explain how traumatic experiences result in the clusters of symptoms of PTSD, one model in particular defines the mechanisms of the brain involved. Writing in the journal Traumatology, Richard M. Gray and Richard F. Liotta reviewed the research behind the temporal dynamics model of emotional memory processing. This research shows that during extremely traumatic events, certain parts of the brain responsible for creating memories become highly active while other parts almost shut down. It is this sequence of turning on and shutting down regions of the brain that results in the memories associated with PTSD. These memories differ from normal memories in several significant ways.