Scientists have found a key chemical in the “memory” part of the brain that allows us to suppress unwanted thoughts
Scientists have discovered a key chemical in the “memory” part of the brain that allows us to suppress unwanted thoughts.
As part of the research, the results of which were published in the journal “Nature Communications”, a group of participants were taught to associate word strings.
After associating unrelated word pairs such as skein/cockroach and moss/north, the participants were then asked to remember the pair if the first one was shown in green, and to avoid remembering the pair if it was shown in red. Meanwhile, participants underwent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which measures brain chemistry.
Scientists wanted to see what happened in key areas of the brain when participants tried to suppress their thoughts and found that this ability relies on the chemical GABA, which helps messages pass between nerve cells.
The study, led by Dr. Taylor Schmitz and Prof. Michael Anderson at the University of Cambridge, found that the concentration of GABA in the hippocampus, the part of the brain linked to memory, predicts a person’s ability not to bring unwanted thoughts and memories to mind.
It was stated that the discovery could provide solutions to some long-unanswered questions about disorders such as anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, in which “hyperactivity” is observed in the hippocampus.
Source: www.dunyabulteni.net
