Originally published December 6 2005
Brain study suggests serotonin receptors shape our response to fear and stress
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh has determined that the number of serotonin receptors in a person's brain determines their response to both stress and fear.
In a localized area of the prefrontal cortex, where thought and action are orchestrated, the number and ratio of serotonin receptors were found to be directly correlated to the activity of another part of the brain called the amygdala, critical for producing emotional states such as fear.
According to Ahmad Hariri, Ph.D., who led the research, these findings bring focus to what could be a fundamental factor contributing to the development of risk for psychiatric disorders and a key molecular mechanism to target as new therapies are developed.
A great deal of research has looked at the association between the amygdala and emotional behaviors and psychiatric diseases such as depression and anxiety, but relatively few studies have considered the added importance of the subgenual prefrontal cortex and its relationship to amygdala activity.
The subgenual prefrontal cortex is one area where communication, or cross talk, takes place between the impulsive, reflexive amygdala and the more logical, staid prefrontal cortex.
It's as if they help set the tone of the discussion or determine if there will even be a discussion in the first place," explained Dr. Hariri, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Developmental Imaging Genomics Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
Using positron emission tomography (PET), which provides three-dimensional detail of the distribution of molecular structures, the researchers were able to examine the availability of the two receptors for serotonin in specific regions of subject's brains, including the amygdala and subgenual prefrontal cortex.
They simply produce the building blocks that determine the structure and function of cells, such as neurons, and the accessories involved in the function of cells, such as receptors.
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