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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Psychological Analysis

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In my Behavioral Neuroscience class, Dr. Miller told us a story about a 70-year-old veteran who was on his way to the post office to send a letter to his son. As he got out of the car, his gaze fell upon the tall, slender pole that had raised the American flag proud and high. However, for this gentleman, he, unfortunately, had an adverse reaction as he stared at the flag. His heartbeat was on a full rush, his hands became sweaty, and it became suddenly hard for him to keep standing. At that moment, he was taken back to his war years and relived the moment when his partner, who’d been carrying the American flag, was killed right before his eyes. The poor old man became terrified that he would face the same fate as his friend, even though the …show more content…
This veteran, like many others, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, which is a sustained stress reaction to any traumatic event, including wars, sexual assaults, and automobile accidents (Garelick and Storm, 2005). People with PTSD have sudden panic attacks that are categorized by flashbacks and lack of concentration, which can be triggered by any stimuli that reminds them of their horrific situation (Pena, et al., 2014). Treatments for this psychological disorder can only make a small difference in these individuals’ lives. Therefore, new methods are being investigated to help counter the effects of PTSD, and one approach was developed by UTD professors using the stimulation of the vagus …show more content…
The VNS is known for enhancing memory and can be used to direct cortical plasticity, such as treating tinnitus or motor deficits, in rats and humans. Therefore, in their study, the professors tested to see whether VNS would also help guide plasticity involved with memory extinction by strengthening the pathway between IL and BLA in rats. The results had met the expectations. Vagus nerve stimulation had made the pathway between IL and BLA more powerful and stronger, which allowed the extinction of conditioned fear responses. The rats given VNS were seen to have enhanced memory extinction. The mechanisms underlying VNS activity are still being debated on, but the release of various neurotransmitters, including serotonin and norepinephrine, by VNS does seem to improve memory extinction (Pena, et al.,

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