For years, I’ve had an interest in neuroplasticity, particularly as it relates to telomeres in the brain. Many researchers use telomere length to determine cell age, as telomeres naturally shorten with time and give a picture of overall brain health. Telomeres act as protective caps on the end of chromosomes to keep them from deteriorating. […]
Depression, Anxiety, Stress . . . Could Mindfulness Group Therapy Help?
It can be really exciting to come across research offering insight into new techniques . . . . . . particularly when the method allows us to reach more people than we usually can. A team of researchers out of the Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Sweden, led by Jan Sundquist, MD, […]
Is Chronic Worry Linked to Increased Likelihood of PTSD?
Is it possible that chronic worry may be linked to an increased likelihood of developing PTSD? I can remember my father telling me, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (The Bible was quoted often in […]
Resistance to PTSD: Could It Be in Your DNA?
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. So what might be boosting the resilience of the folks who experience trauma and don’t suffer from PTSD? According to Israel Liberzon, MD, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, genetic factors might play a role. When combined with trauma in early childhood, a tiny DNA change (or […]
Epigenetics Might Help Us Predict How the Brain Responds to Threats
If you could predict how well your clients might be able to deal with stress, just based on a blood or saliva sample, would that change your treatment approach? There’s a specific gene that’s been getting a lot of attention lately because it affects how the brain processes serotonin – a chemical created inside the […]