How Trauma Affects the Brain

This article reviews preclinical and clinical research on the effects of traumatic stress on the brain. Discussion Traumatic stress has wide-ranging effects on brain function and structure, as well as on the neuropsychological components of memory.

Scientists have long known that trauma can have lasting effects on the brain, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, three adjacent brain regions that control memory and panic responses, sometimes collectively called the limbic system. According to neuroimaging studies, the main areas of the brain affected by trauma are the amygdala, hippocampus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In particular, brain damage has profound effects on the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is the emotional response center of the brain, helping people perceive and control emotions.

Research in neuroscience suggests that dysfunction in areas of the brain responsible for threat detection/response and emotion regulation explains many of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Studies in patients with PTSD show changes in brain regions involved in animal studies, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, as well as neurochemical stress response systems, including cortisol and norepinephrine. Stress induces acute and chronic changes in neurochemical systems and specific areas of…