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trauma

Womb Trauma

There is an exquisite and fragile biological/biochemical process during gestation in which short, dense immature brain cells are pruned, grow into fully-developed brain cells, and then (remarkably) experience growth inhibition to complete the process. The molecular biology of this process is becoming very well defined, and it is clear that many environmental events can hinder or disrupt early brain development. The primary culprits are oxidative stress, teratological chemicals, and infections. The least appreciated of these harmful factors is oxidative stress which can deplete key proteins and enzymes required for normal brain development.

Environmental harm to a developing fetus can result from (a) biochemical inadequacies of the mother, and (b) external environmental insults. We're all familiar with birth defects that can result from Thalidomide, Thorazine, Prolixin, Haldol, and other psychiatric medications. Also the dangers of mercury, lead, and other toxics are well established, and we know that a mother's improper diet (e.g. inadequate folic acid) can be harmful. Although lower on the radar screen, fetal oxidative stresses can be equally devastating.

What I'm leading up to.... is the scientific fact that serious emotional or physical stresses experienced by the mother can impair early brain development, especially if the mother is not biochemically intact. For example high emotional stresses or physical trauma to the mother will weaken the activity of metallothionein (MT) and glutathione (GSH) proteins, and
increase oxidative stress in the brain. MT-1 and MT-2 are directly involved in growth of immature brain cells. MT-3 is a key protein required for pruning and growth inhibition. These proteins also have the job of defending against oxidative stress in the brain and are consumed in the process. Maternal emotional stresses and psychic traumae deplete the embryonic brain of MT proteins and can compromise brain development.

Womb trauma is real and the concept of "a cry so deep" is not psycho-babble guesswork. Rather, it is solidly supported by scientific fields such as embryology and molecular biology.  (Aug 1, 2003)

If fetal or early infant traumae have resulted in a brain that hasn't completely matured..... therapies to promote MT and GSH appear very promising..... especially in tandem with
behavioral therapies which stimulate the development of new brain cells.

If the net result of the traumae is biochemical or neurotransmitter differences, then biochemical therapy aimed at normalizing brain chemistry would be indicated.

If the traumae resulted in diminished ability to tolerate environmental toxins (for example an incompetent blood-brain barrier), then avoidance of such toxins would be an important aspect of treatment.

If the traumae resulted in an innate inability to cope with emotional stresses, then counseling or other psychological services could be very beneficial.

If the traumae resulted in a brain that is structurally different, this may represent "brain damage" that may be refractory to all treatments. (Aug 1, 2003)

source site: click here

Easing the stress of trauma
Published: Monday, December 1, 2008 - 15:22 in Psychology & Sociology
 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects as many as 1 in 5 of all Americans who survive a harrowing experience like rape, assault, war or terrorism. It has emotionally paralyzed survivors of 9/11 and broken up survivors' families. There is no broadly accepted treatment that can lower the chance of developing the disorder, but thanks to a Tel Aviv University researcher, a medical means of preventing PTSD may be just around the corner.

Prof. Joseph Zohar from the Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, has found that an injection of cortisol shortly after exposure to a traumatic event may prevent the onset of PTSD. He is now taking his animal model findings to the U.S. National Institute of Health and hopes to start clinical trials on this exploratory research within the next year.

The research was recently published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

PTSD Can Strike "Anyone, Anytime"

Currently, a diagnosis of PTSD is made only after an individual has been living with an acute stress reaction for one month. By then it may be too late to counteract the syndrome.

"10 to 20% of all individuals exposed to trauma develop PTSD," says Prof. Zohar. "The challenge is to try to prevent or reduce these numbers. Until now, the clinical and research focus has been on treating PTSD once it developed. We propose to shift the focus to prevention. Based on an animal model, our new clinical findings pave the way for a potential preventive treatment for future victims via cortisol injections."

Although experienced widely among soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, PTSD can strike anyone - anytime - who has witnessed or experienced a life-threatening event. Its victims dissociate from loved ones and may relive the traumatic event through everyday triggers, such as the smell of a neighbor's barbecue or a sound on TV.

Normally, the production of cortisol, a stress hormone, increases immediately after the trauma, but with time returns to normal levels. In those who are diagnosed with PTSD, however, the body's hormonal system is dysfunctional: there is less secretion of cortisol after exposure, and researchers believe that this underproduction increases vulnerability to PTSD. Researchers propose that cortisol might be linked to the individual's ability to forget memories of the traumatic event.

The Persistence of Memory

Researchers from both Tel Aviv University and Ben Gurion University, found in an animal model that a high dose of corticosterone, when given immediately after the stress event, reduces the effect of trauma in mice. They believe that corticosterone may dampen an animal's ability to "remember" the initial trauma time and time again.

The "stressor" in the mouse experiment was litter soaked in cat urine. 25% of the mice presented with the litter showed signs of extreme stress, which the researchers correlated to acute stress reaction in humans. Mice that were given shots of corticosterone shortly after their exposure were significantly less "tense" when reminded of the initial trauma by the presentation of a "stressor reminder" stimulus.

The researchers' next step is to try this potential treatment option on humans in a controlled clinical setting. "The animal model we developed has given us the basis for investigating this important condition, and it has become an essential tool for clinicians around the globe," adds Prof. Zohar, an internationally recognized expert in the field of PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorders. He has established important international organizations in these fields and advises institutions like the World Health Organization.

Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University

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