Posted on 12/15/2013 8:30:40 PM PST by Olog-hai
Its a breakthrough that could help thousands of American soldiers returning from dangerous deployments. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology believe they may have discovered a way to create a vaccine that could prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What its going to do is that theyll still have perfectly strong memories of the event. They just wont have the bad health consequences, said Ki Goosens, an assistant professor of neuroscience with the McGovern Institute for Brain Research.
The key is a lesser-known hormone produced by the stomach called ghrelin.
One of the really interesting things about ghrelin that was sort of unexpected
was that the background levels of ghrelin go up if an organism has experienced a period of prolonged stress, Goosens said. So the more stressed you are, the more ghrelin your stomach will churn out and so in that regard, its a stress hormone.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I trust MIT’s investments in the cognitive/cerebral sciences are worthwhile. And hopefully valuable to those psychologically hammered by traumatic engagements.
Thanks for that post.
It’s what I wanted to say but couldn’t think of the right words.
Ghrelin also plays a role in the hunger mechanism and a role in maintaining body weight.
Stress and overeating are connected.
Thanks James, I just recovered from surgery, cancer, and hernia, and am, and have been taking medication (12 pills daily) for years.. My point is the traumatic events that our service personnel have endured is both physical, emotional, and it’s asking a great deal..
I’m suggesting overwhelmingly so, to erase 4-6 consecutive tours in combat.. The stress and emotional debilitation being experienced is almost a necessary reaction as part of the grieving mechanism.. To hope that the pill came overcome those memories, mental images, and vivid dreams will disappear is a bit problematic for me..
The fact that I sit here this day, is testimony to my belief in and trust in medicine and it’s practitioners, but I understand the gravity of this malady and can only pray for it’s success..
They are investigating the role of Ghrelin in eating disorders like Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, and Binge-eating disorder. The must be a tie into the endorphin system where it relates to the survival mechanism.
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