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Stress disrupt memory formation, making mice fearful of harmless
situations, which may explain why stressed people feel threatened in
safe places in PTSD and generalized anxiety. Scientists reversed these
effects with 2 drugs that block glucocorticoid receptors or production
of endocannabinoids.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03724-4
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|u/DiscordantMuse - 1 day
|
|I feel like a lot of folks with PTSD and BPD can affirm this
|anecdotally.  Emotional black-outs are what I refer to them as. When I
|feel acute stress, my ability to think or cognitively function seems to
|halt. Over time I've noticed that I struggle to recall the experience
|during that acute stress episode. It's vulnerable-making and I hate it.


  |u/obrazovanshchina - 1 day
  |
  |Most of my childhood is gone. Lived with near constant anxiety and
  |fear 


    |u/TheCosmophile - 1 day
    |
    |Hello fellow memory-orphan. Time and events do not exist for me from
    |8-14, and much of high school is gone, too. You’re not alone.


      |u/obrazovanshchina - 1 day
      |
      |It’s so strange how I normalized this for years. It was only when
      |childhood friends began recalling events in adulthood I had no
      |memory of or only a shadow of a memory that I realized so much of
      |my childhood memories were ash.   I see you. Big big hug. Lots of
      |love. 


        |u/Ball-of-Yarn - 1 day
        |
        |Same to yall. I dont think a lot of us grew up.


          |u/illusionsdelusions - 1 day
          |
          |This makes me feel so seen. I had a high school friend
          |chastise me the other day because I didn’t remember something
          |he did for me in high school… I don’t know how many times I’ve
          |told him I don’t remember much of anything from those years…


            |u/GonzoBurger - 1 day
            |
            |I'm adding to this thread because it's nice to find others
            |like me. My girlfriend has the opposite and remembers
            |absolutely everything about so everyone has a laugh when I
            |can barely remember anything.  It is strange though, I
            |thought this would be just for my childhood but as I'm
            |approaching 40 it's affected other periods too.   I find I
            |remember things that had a large emotional impact on me and
            |everything else kind of blurs. There are some things I can
            |remember if I have a cue, but otherwise, it's gone. I feel
            |like I only have a handful of memories from childhood and
            |losing other time periods, too.


    |u/sharksarentsobad - 22 hours
    |
    |Fore, it's my teenage years. All I can remember is the trauma I
    |experienced then and nothing happy and memorable involving friends
    |or school. In contrast to my ability to remember events from as far
    |back as four years old. It becomes a blank space at 13 when my Mom
    |met my stepdad.


      |u/obrazovanshchina - 19 hours
      |
      |I see you sharksarentsobad.  I can relate. I don't know about you
      |but it helps me to speak and write the words: I lost memory of my
      |childhood and adolescence because of choices my caretaker made,
      |again and again, never feeling safe. I hope there's something in
      |that for you as well. I'm proud of you, of everything you are and
      |are becoming. I see you.


        |u/sharksarentsobad - 7 hours
        |
        |Thank you, I've been in therapy for years and  they said I'm no
        |longer exhibiting signs of PTSD. Still trying to get my GAD and
        |MDD under control, but a lot of the fear and sense of feeling
        |unsafe disappeared when my stepdad died. It was such a relief. I
        |still feel like I'm in survival mode.    I hope you're healing
        |more and more every day. It's a really difficult uphill battle.
        |Any progress we've made is worth celebrating.


    |u/Razur - 1 day
    |
    |I have a distinct memory from grade school. I stuck my tongue out at
    |a classmate while the teach was give a math lecture and the
    |classmate did it back. The teacher pulled me aside after class and
    |asked if I had started it. In the moment my brain completely went
    |blank and I had no recall of what had happened. Teacher then asked
    |if the other student started it, and I just went with it because it
    |made the most sense since I couldn't remember. Later that day I went
    |straight from a "green light" to a "red light" for lying to the
    |teacher, but I had no memory of sticking my tongue out at the other
    |kid first.  In hindsight as an adult, I wonder if my forgetfulness
    |was a stress response to being singled out and accused/scolded of a
    |certain behavior. I know that I have cPTSD symptoms from when I was
    |a teenager due to living in a toxic household & being constantly
    |bullied, but this one specific incident makes me wonder if my trauma
    |had started much earlier than I my teenage years.


      |u/obrazovanshchina - 19 hours
      |
      |Keep asking those questions with curiosity.  When I approach my
      |memories as a child, those I do remember, the painful ones, with
      |curiosity and not judgment. With love. With the kind of kindness I
      |craved as a child but never received, I find I can hear those
      |feelings speaking to me. They want to be heard.   For me, I
      |approach these parts of me through the Internal Family System
      |framework. Works for some. Not for others. If you're interested,
      |there's a book by Richard Schwartz titled No Bad Parts. I like to
      |recommend it as its helped me a lot.


  |u/ElderberryHoliday814 - 1 day
  |
  |I really think people with schizophrenia lose years because of this


  |u/UkuleleZenBen - 1 day
  |
  |They showed on MRIs that blood flow to the prefrontal cortex (logical
  |thinking, executive functioning) turns off in times of emotional
  |overwhelm! That really helped me understand my ADHD/cptsd. Explains
  |"brain fog" perfectly. Or why I need externally written routines to
  |follow in those times


  |u/MookieMoonn - 1 day
  |
  |I learned about this the hard way. So burnt out and un controlled BPD,
  |I don't remember 2023


|u/mvea - 1 day
|
|I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for
|those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
|https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(24)01216-9  From the
|linked article:   Stress makes mice form big bundles of neurons in the
|brain that disrupt memory formation, making them fearful of harmless
|situations1 — which might help to explain why stressed people often feel
|threatened in safe environments.  Researchers have long known that
|stress or trauma can lead people to fear harmless situations. For
|instance, after burning a finger on a hot pan, a stressed individual
|might subsequently avoid not only hot pans but the kitchen or cooking
|entirely. This kind of generalized fear is common in people with post-
|traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder.  A
|study, published in Cell, describes how stress disrupts memory formation
|and, in particular, recollections of fearful events. The results could
|inform the development of therapies for people with PTSD and anxiety.
|“This paper is really a tour-de-force,” says Ryuichi Shigemoto, a
|neuroscientist at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, in
|Klosterneuburg. “They used so many different methods and techniques to
|prove this long pathway.”  The team were able to reverse the effects of
|stress on memory formation with two drugs, one of which is approved for
|terminating early pregnancy, mifepristone. The drugs either block the
|glucocorticoid receptors or the production of endocannabinoids, and the
|stressed mice recalled memories in the way that unstressed mice did.


  |u/Sara_Sin304 - 1 day
  |
  |Fascinating thank you!


|u/CMC04 - 1 day
|
|So would it be possible that you don’t remember as much of your
|childhood as a lot of people seem to because it may have been more
|stressful?


  |u/Brrdock - 1 day
  |
  |I think most people would attest to that, at least.  But once I really
  |got to processing and working on my problems as an adult, I also
  |started remembering more about it, good things, too. Could be that
  |fight-or-flight makes memory more selective, too. At least it does
  |direct attention, and those are very connected, at the moment and
  |retrospectively.  This sounds amazing, though I wonder what the side-
  |effects are of blocking glucocorticoid receptors or production of
  |endocannabinoids. Hopefully more tolerable than those of current drugs


|u/Skittlepyscho - 1 day
|
|I have been diagnosed with GAD and PTSD. I started a new job last year
|that I've been working towards since I graduated with my masters degree
|in 2017. I worked really hard to get this job that I'm qualified for,
|and I was so excited to finally reach my goal! However, I got there and
|was very stressed out, which is totally normal in a new environment and
|a high paced job. My brain would shut down, and I couldn't even do basic
|tasks because my brain wouldn't be able to perform. Doing simple tasks
|like scheduling a Teams call became incredibly difficult for me to do.
|I ended up getting let go because I wasn't able to perform- even though
|I studied the topic for 6 years and have a bachelors and masters degree
|in the area.


  |u/I-hope-I-helped-you - 1 day
  |
  |Same. I am heavily medicated to perform my job. SSRI and 25mg
  |quetiapin for sleeping.


  |u/apoletta - 1 day
  |
  |Sounds a lot like me. To the point of self sabotage.


    |u/LeeGhettos - 18 hours
    |
    |You are literally in a science sub, in a conversation about the
    |pathway that makes these reactions exist. Accusing a stranger of
    |self sabotage because of extremely typical symptoms of a disorder is
    |extremely fucked.


      |u/apoletta - 15 hours
      |
      |I have done this to myself. Therapy has been good for me. Perhaps
      |it could help op.


    |u/justwalkingalonghere - 20 hours
    |
    |That's just rude. It sounds more like they need to seek counseling
    |and psychiatry than it being self-sabotage


  |u/ShelIsOverTheMoon - 1 day
  |
  |Have you tried medication?


    |u/Skittlepyscho - 20 hours
    |
    |Yes! I'm on an SSRI


      |u/ShelIsOverTheMoon - 8 hours
      |
      |I'm glad you're taking care of yourself in that respect. And I'm
      |sorry for your troubles. Hang in there, friend.


|u/old_and_boring_guy - 1 day
|
|I think of it more as understanding that even seemingly harmless
|situations can go awry. Lot of PTSD arises from situations that go from
|peaceful to deadly in an instant with no warning.


|u/Less_Wealth5525 - 1 day
|
|Well mifepristone won’t be around for long.


|u/amy-schumer-tampon - 1 day
|
|where do i get these drugs


|u/Halsfield - 1 day
|
|why does blocking endocannabinoids help with ptsd/anxiety? i wouldve
|thought it would help but im also one of those people that gets horrible
|anxiety attacks from cannabis.


  |u/untss - 1 day
  |
  |> why would endocannabinoid inhibition improve anxiety symptoms  >
  |cannabis causes anxiety in me  maybe your experience is more the rule
  |than the exception


  |u/JoanOfSarcasm - 1 day
  |
  |Ii have GAD, PTSD, and panic disorder. Cannabis gives me horrible
  |anxiety. Anecdotal but I don’t know anyone with severe anxiety who can
  |smoke large amounts ofcannabis without increased anxiety, panic, and
  |paranoia.  I smoked on/off for years until cannabis started being
  |grown so strong that it was easy to overshoot my sweet spot. Last time
  |I tried a 5mg edible, it had a bunch of additives for absorption I
  |didn’t see and I ended up vomiting all night. That was the end for me.
  |E: I mean large amounts of cannabjs. I should’ve clarified that. I had
  |an amount I could smoke that often would relax me, but I needed a
  |specific strain that was VERY rare and a low THC %. Most dispensaries
  |are growing cannabis stronger and stronger these days, which makes it
  |tough to find a therapeutic dose.


    |u/_Fl0r4l_4nd_f4ding_ - 1 day
    |
    |I have GAD and panic attacks and weed is my saviour in those
    |situations where i cant calm down.


    |u/FrillyLilly - 1 day
    |
    |I have GAD, PTSD, OCD, and agoraphobia. I smoke/vape weed nearly
    |constantly in order to remain more “chill” however if I do too much
    |too fast, especially with edibles, I can trigger a panic attack,
    |paranoia, vomiting, etc. I learned my limits over time and I try to
    |stay within them so that cannabis remains therapeutic for me.


    |u/IamGoldenGod - 22 hours
    |
    |I have anxiety issues and weed definitely makes it worse, however
    |weed acts like an antidepressant for me quite well if I don't overdo
    |it. So there is a sweet spot I'm always trying to get to but I often
    |over/undershoot it.


      |u/JoanOfSarcasm - 18 hours
      |
      |Yeah this was my issue. My sweet spot is very low (and edibles
      |didn’t have the same feeling for me) and most cannabis now is
      |grown so strong that it was easy to overshoot it. It wasn’t worth
      |the bad side effects for me.


    |u/Halsfield - 1 day
    |
    |my brother has PTSD and smokes constantly w/o panic attacks so i
    |dont know whats going on here.


|u/kimchidijon - 1 day
|
|I’ve been dealing with GAD my whole life and PTSD from multiple
|traumatic events that happened starting 2019. I don’t remember my
|childhood at all, it’s completely blank.


  |u/archival-banana - 1 day
  |
  |Same here, turbulent childhood. Was the adult in the adult-child
  |relationship with my mom. All of my childhood from when I was 5-17 is
  |extremely fuzzy, impossible for me to form a timeline of events. But
  |whenever someone mentions an event that happened during that time
  |frame, my brain remembers it clear as day. Especially traumatic
  |events. It’s fascinating how our brain reacts to and helps us cope
  |with trauma.


|u/LongSchlongdonf - 1 day
|
|Block production of cannabinoids. Funny I have IBS and it’s really
|helped by weed and all and it’s funny one of the theories for why is
|that IBS could actually be caused by an endocannabinoid deficiency


|u/infrareddit-1 - 1 day
|
|Thanks for posting about this important work. Anybody have access to the
|full paper?


|u/Alternative_Belt_389 - 1 day
|
|I worked in one of the author's labs...horrible human


  |u/JEMinnow - 19 hours
  |
  |It’s terrible what PI’s can get away with in academia


    |u/Alternative_Belt_389 - 17 hours
    |
    |I landed in the ER because of the stress, micro management, and
    |toxicity. I'm out of research now and much happier. These PIs need
    |to be held accountable. Plus this group practices shady science...


      |u/JEMinnow - 17 hours
      |
      |Wow, I'm glad you got out. How long did it take to recover?  I'm
      |in a masters program and my PI seemed really nice at first, but I
      |can see now that she's straight up mean and insecure, despite
      |being an established medical doctor. I needed training in the
      |beginning and she paired me up with a woman who had a history of
      |abusive behaviour.  Over the course of 6 months, the woman
      |training me got more demanding and controlling. When I finally had
      |enough and called her out, I was made to feel like a bad person,
      |by her and my PI. They basically gaslit me and my PI reminded me
      |that the woman who trained me had 2 masters degrees, as if it
      |justified her behaviour. Well, it escalated, and eventually the
      |woman who trained me got fired because our project manager got
      |wind of how I was being treated.  Later, I found out that the
      |woman who trained me had been horrible to other employees, so I'm
      |pretty pissed that I was stuck with her for months. When I brought
      |it up, my PI told me that I was never obligated to meet with that
      |woman regularly. That's how poor the communication is on our
      |'team'.  Well, now my PI hates me and I think it's because she
      |sees me as the reason why one of her best employees isn't there
      |anymore, rather than the toxic environment (I say best because the
      |one who trained me was a brilliant programmer but a terrible
      |person). Now, my PI acts like a bully, but it's so covert I
      |wouldn't be able to to call her out. For example, making me look
      |stupid in meetings, not giving me all the information I need to
      |improve presentations, giving me nasty looks, acting annoyed
      |whenever I speak. Just all round awful and unfortunately she's my
      |primary supervisor.  I have 5.5 months to go (hell yes I'm
      |counting) and I can't wait to be done, omg. I'll be crawling
      |across that finish line and I honestly don't hate a lot of people
      |but I'm starting to hate my supervisor. Will she ever be held
      |accountable for not protecting a vulnerable student and then
      |basically gaslighting and being a bully? Nope.


|u/Less_Wealth5525 - 1 day
|
|My sister doesn’t remember the first seven years of her life.


  |u/tollbearer - 1 day
  |
  |Are you supposed to remember anything from childhood? I have like 5
  |memories from before 12.


    |u/Saggy_G - 20 hours
    |
    |Hello fellow trauma survivor. 


    |u/LeeGhettos - 18 hours
    |
    |Unfortunately, yes you are. You are solidly atypical in that regard,
    |and it’s often a sign of trauma.


      |u/tollbearer - 8 hours
      |
      |I don't think I have any major traumas. To be honest, I think a
      |lot of it is just that I didn't do anything. Never went on
      |holidays, didn't have any hobbies, no extended family, had like 1
      |friend, 1 grandparent... Life was just school, tv, sleep. I do
      |remember the few times my grandfather took me on holiday. So I
      |think it's more a lack of anything to remember, than blocking out
      |anything


        |u/goldenbugreaction - 8 hours
        |
        |Were any other adult caretakers part of your early life, or just
        |your grandfather?


          |u/tollbearer - 5 hours
          |
          |Both my parents were present. My grandfather died when I was
          |10.


    |u/archival-banana - 1 day
    |
    |Yes, you are.


|u/ArcticCircleSystem - 1 day
|
|So they gave mice PTSD to see how stress affects memory?


  |u/OG-TRAG1K_D - 1 day
  |
  |Punch mouse, mouse squeak, punch mouse, mouse squeak! Mouse scared of
  |light and punches!!!