Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Reshaping Rodents' Risk Response

 Everything alive in this world is afraid of something. There are some that say the bravest are not those who fear nothing, but are capable of standing up to what they fear most, and coming out stronger. But some scientists question if such responses are inherently necessary at all times, and potentially can be harmful if activated in the wrong circumstances. That's why some researchers have developed an optogenetics treatment to deactivate the 'fight or flight' response in lab mice, and claim that this breakthrough could be expanded upon in order to treat things such as severe anxiety disorders. 

Parasite Makes Mice Fearless of Cats


https://www.labroots.com/trending/neuroscience/20914/researchers-switch-fear-response-on-off-mice

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

2 comments:

  1. The flight or fight response is significant for an organism’s survival. I never thought about how it might backfire if it is activated in the wrong circumstances. It’s good to hear how this research help eventually treat people with severe anxiety disorders.

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  2. I originally thought that the fight or flight reaction was important as it typically protects humans (and other organisms), however if scientists could help ease the many people that have anxiety in todays world, I believe that would be one of the most popular genetic break throughs. We have the potential to fix something that people are already being medicated for here that may possibly have no symptoms in comparison to the anxiety medications.

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