Neuroscientist Explains How Your Brain Is Affected by Fear, Isolation & Anxiety | Moriel Zelikowsky

TL;DR

This interview with Dr. Morial Zelikovsky explores the effects of social isolation on the brain, particularly in relation to emotions and fear responses.

Transcript

hey everybody welcome to another episode of impact theory i'm here with dr morial zelikovsky thank you so much for joining me i'm super excited um i'm all about neuroscience so this should be a lot of fun great to be here if you can just give people a quick rundown on your background and what you do just like a super quick nutshell sure i'm an assi... Read More

Key Insights

• 😨 Fear and emotions play crucial roles in survival, guiding adaptive responses to dangerous situations.
• 🤑 Exposure therapy is commonly used to treat PTSD and phobias, promoting the formation of new memories that compete with traumatic ones.
• 🚱 Social interaction with non-traumatized individuals can alleviate the effects of trauma, highlighting the importance of social support.
• 🔉 Social media might provide some connection but may not fully mitigate the effects of social isolation.
• 🥺 Social isolation for an extended period of time can lead to enhanced fear responses, aggression, and difficulties in social interactions.
• 🧠 The neuropeptide tachykinin II is upregulated in the brain following social isolation, potentially coordinating the brain's response to isolation.
• 😨 Understanding the neurobiology of fear and emotion can help in improving treatments for mental health conditions related to trauma and anxiety.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Dr. Zelikovsky choose to study the science of emotions?

Dr. Zelikovsky is interested in clinically relevant topics, and emotions are crucial in understanding human behavior and memory.

Q: How does social isolation affect the brain and behavior?

Social isolation leads to increased aggression, persistent fear responses, and difficulties in interacting with others.

Q: Why do mice sing, and how does social isolation affect their mating behavior?

Male mice sing to court females, and social isolation disrupts both mating behavior and their ability to produce the song.

Q: What are the long-term effects of social isolation in mice, and how does it relate to violence?

Socially isolated mice exhibit heightened violence when introduced to another member of their species, providing insights into the neurobiology of violence in humans.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Zelikovsky is an assistant professor of neurobiology at the University of Utah, specializing in neural circuits involved in emotion.

• She discusses her interest in memory and fear, the clinical relevance of studying emotions, and the impact of social isolation on the brain.

• Dr. Zelikovsky's current research focuses on social isolation in mice, specifically studying the effects on mating behavior and the disruption of vocalizations.