PTSD and the Brain
Trauma and The Brain
PTSD effects the brain and its development. In individuals diagnosed with PTSD,
a key brain structure, associated with memory formation (a.k.a. the hippocampus), has been
been found to be atrophied.
Individuals with PTSD also have an increased stress response. Neurobiologically this symptom has been associated with changes in the Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal-axis (HPA-axis). HPA-axis is the brain system responsible for stress regulation. Current research is finding that the presence of PTSD as well as alterations in the stress response can lead to profound changes in a child’s brain. The brain has key periods in which its structures develop.
Trauma may impact a developing brain in ways that inhibit or alter the neurotypical pathway of its growth. Children with PTSD have been shown to have functional disruptions in attention, concentration, learning, and behavioral control.
Individuals with PTSD also have an increased stress response. Neurobiologically this symptom has been associated with changes in the Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal-axis (HPA-axis). HPA-axis is the brain system responsible for stress regulation. Current research is finding that the presence of PTSD as well as alterations in the stress response can lead to profound changes in a child’s brain. The brain has key periods in which its structures develop.
Trauma may impact a developing brain in ways that inhibit or alter the neurotypical pathway of its growth. Children with PTSD have been shown to have functional disruptions in attention, concentration, learning, and behavioral control.
Key Brain Structures Involved in PTSD…
Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal-axis (HPA-axis). Is made up of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex. Its main task is to mobilize a powerful energetic defense when a person is threatened and to return to rest when the threat is gone. The HPA-axis triggers cortisol secretion. Cortisol is the key hormone that triggers the stress response.
Thalamus: Is a relay station for the brain. Sensory information from touch reaches the cortex through connections in the thalamus It plays a role in modulating levels of arousal. The thalamus may be the seat of human consciousness. Children with PTSD often struggle with sensory integration. Sensory integration is the ability to integrate information from multiple senses at once (e.g. sight, sound, smell, taste, body-awareness etc). This can make a child feel out of control, disorganized and impact their ability to learn. Learning is fundamentally the ability to create a clear understandable relationship between events. The thalamus is vital to the process of sensory integration and disrupted in children with PTSD.
Hippocampus: Is found in the medial temporal lobe. The three major theories used to explain hippocampus functioning are that the hippocampus is involved in: behavioral inhibition, declarative memory consolidation, and sense of place. In those with PTSD hippocampus declines have been noted. In those with hippocampal damage there is difficulty in learning new information. It is a very promising finding that in individuals with hippocampal decline due to elevated stress response that decline can be reduced significantly by reduction of stress hormone production (e.g. cortisol). It is of note that this data does not come from studies of individuals with PTSD but another disorder but the data is promising.
Amygdala: Is often known as the fear center of the brain. Although it could be better conceptualized as a smoke detector. It notices changes, the amygdala, the insula, and other limbic structures. It has many functions in our emotions but one of the most important functions is mobilizing the stress response so that a person can fight off a danger or get away from a danger. This area is often over active in those with PTSD.
Insula: The insula is a part of the limbic cortex. The insula has been postulated to be involved in reading cues from the body. Many people who have constructed theories of emotions find that an emotion is a combination of a thought label and a bodily experience. People who can not read their body signals suffer from the inability to notice their own emotions and often have social deficits. They can feel isolated and like people do not understand them. Disruptions in the insular functioning are seen in individuals with PTSD.
Cingulate gyrus: The cingulate gyrus is often referred to as the ‘Emotional Cortex’ aka the emotional brain. At three to nine months of development, the infant grows the ACC. This area is associated with feeling empathy for emotions of others. It also plays a large role in communicating between the thinking mind (words and language) and the feeling states of the body. Profound alterations in this area are seen in individuals with PTSD.
Basal Ganglia (BG): Is central to the modulation of movement, emotional set, anticipation of movement, eye movement, motivation, and reward. It is really important to understand that the same system that helps us with motor skills like writing, throwing accurately, and walking is deeply implicated in our emotions as well.
Orbital Frontal Cortex: “emotion and reward” area of the pre-frontal cortex. This is likely the most abstract area of emotional processing. It is also the last to mature. It reaches full maturity in the early twenties. It is involved in decision making and expectation. It is highly likely that disruptions in stress response due to PTSD disrupts this development. Some data is emerging to support this possibility.
Thalamus: Is a relay station for the brain. Sensory information from touch reaches the cortex through connections in the thalamus It plays a role in modulating levels of arousal. The thalamus may be the seat of human consciousness. Children with PTSD often struggle with sensory integration. Sensory integration is the ability to integrate information from multiple senses at once (e.g. sight, sound, smell, taste, body-awareness etc). This can make a child feel out of control, disorganized and impact their ability to learn. Learning is fundamentally the ability to create a clear understandable relationship between events. The thalamus is vital to the process of sensory integration and disrupted in children with PTSD.
Hippocampus: Is found in the medial temporal lobe. The three major theories used to explain hippocampus functioning are that the hippocampus is involved in: behavioral inhibition, declarative memory consolidation, and sense of place. In those with PTSD hippocampus declines have been noted. In those with hippocampal damage there is difficulty in learning new information. It is a very promising finding that in individuals with hippocampal decline due to elevated stress response that decline can be reduced significantly by reduction of stress hormone production (e.g. cortisol). It is of note that this data does not come from studies of individuals with PTSD but another disorder but the data is promising.
Amygdala: Is often known as the fear center of the brain. Although it could be better conceptualized as a smoke detector. It notices changes, the amygdala, the insula, and other limbic structures. It has many functions in our emotions but one of the most important functions is mobilizing the stress response so that a person can fight off a danger or get away from a danger. This area is often over active in those with PTSD.
Insula: The insula is a part of the limbic cortex. The insula has been postulated to be involved in reading cues from the body. Many people who have constructed theories of emotions find that an emotion is a combination of a thought label and a bodily experience. People who can not read their body signals suffer from the inability to notice their own emotions and often have social deficits. They can feel isolated and like people do not understand them. Disruptions in the insular functioning are seen in individuals with PTSD.
Cingulate gyrus: The cingulate gyrus is often referred to as the ‘Emotional Cortex’ aka the emotional brain. At three to nine months of development, the infant grows the ACC. This area is associated with feeling empathy for emotions of others. It also plays a large role in communicating between the thinking mind (words and language) and the feeling states of the body. Profound alterations in this area are seen in individuals with PTSD.
Basal Ganglia (BG): Is central to the modulation of movement, emotional set, anticipation of movement, eye movement, motivation, and reward. It is really important to understand that the same system that helps us with motor skills like writing, throwing accurately, and walking is deeply implicated in our emotions as well.
Orbital Frontal Cortex: “emotion and reward” area of the pre-frontal cortex. This is likely the most abstract area of emotional processing. It is also the last to mature. It reaches full maturity in the early twenties. It is involved in decision making and expectation. It is highly likely that disruptions in stress response due to PTSD disrupts this development. Some data is emerging to support this possibility.