Brain's response to threat silenced when we are reminded of being loved and cared for
Friday, November 7, 2014 - 17:00
in Psychology & Sociology
Being shown pictures of others being loved and cared for reduces the brain's response to threat, new research has found. The study discovered that when individuals are briefly presented pictures of others receiving emotional support and affection, the brain's threat monitor, the amygdala, subsequently does not respond to images showing threatening facial expressions or words. This occurred even if the person was not paying attention to the content of the first pictures.