Memory and Hormones
The role of hormones in the human body is truly amazing. Hormones have been studied for many years, and the explosion of information about the endocrine system is astonishing. We live in interesting, phenomenal times.
A study (http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=532022) found that a brain hormone called corticosterone and it's effect when combined with emotion shows that (in rats) an emotional experience greatly enhances memory of the experience. Of course rats aren't human, and researchers decline to state that rats have emotions, instead stating their arousal is roughly equivalent to emotion.
That brain hormones and emotion collide to increase memory is no surprise when you consider PTSD and veterans, or people that have experienced great trauma.
I've held the theory for over 30 years that traumatic experiences not only affect chemicals in the brain, but actually change DNA. I'm no doctor, or researcher, but it seems like common sense to me.
Clearly in Alzheimer's patients, there is a strong connection to emotional experiences and memory. A few rather elite Alzheimer's care homes are built around a time theme. While the patients are in the communal areas that are time-themed, they come out of the haze, and remember. Clearly this connection between emotion and corticosterone-norepinepherine is played out.
* * *
About animal emotion, don't discount it. Any pet owner with a lick of sense can tell you if their cat or dog is depressed or grieving. It wasn't long ago that no animal was believed to have emotion. Studies with KoKo the gorilla, elephants, dolphins, Washoe and other chimpanzees, even dogs and cats indicate animals do indeed have emotions, and they suffer with depression and grief as humans do.
Granted, lab rats may not have a lot of brain to work with, but do they experience emotion that we fail to comprehend, just as we failed to comprehend emotions in gorillas, pets, elephants, and so on? It's possible. We failed to realize much about human behavior until the last century brought study into the fray.
The complexities of this tapestry of life will unravel slowly revealing things we never thought possible.
It's a fascinating time we live in.
A study (http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=532022) found that a brain hormone called corticosterone and it's effect when combined with emotion shows that (in rats) an emotional experience greatly enhances memory of the experience. Of course rats aren't human, and researchers decline to state that rats have emotions, instead stating their arousal is roughly equivalent to emotion.
That brain hormones and emotion collide to increase memory is no surprise when you consider PTSD and veterans, or people that have experienced great trauma.
I've held the theory for over 30 years that traumatic experiences not only affect chemicals in the brain, but actually change DNA. I'm no doctor, or researcher, but it seems like common sense to me.
Clearly in Alzheimer's patients, there is a strong connection to emotional experiences and memory. A few rather elite Alzheimer's care homes are built around a time theme. While the patients are in the communal areas that are time-themed, they come out of the haze, and remember. Clearly this connection between emotion and corticosterone-norepinepherine is played out.
* * *
About animal emotion, don't discount it. Any pet owner with a lick of sense can tell you if their cat or dog is depressed or grieving. It wasn't long ago that no animal was believed to have emotion. Studies with KoKo the gorilla, elephants, dolphins, Washoe and other chimpanzees, even dogs and cats indicate animals do indeed have emotions, and they suffer with depression and grief as humans do.
Granted, lab rats may not have a lot of brain to work with, but do they experience emotion that we fail to comprehend, just as we failed to comprehend emotions in gorillas, pets, elephants, and so on? It's possible. We failed to realize much about human behavior until the last century brought study into the fray.
The complexities of this tapestry of life will unravel slowly revealing things we never thought possible.
It's a fascinating time we live in.
posted by KennewickMusing at
7:16 PM
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