In the 1990s, political circumstances in Romania led to a large number of orphans. Due to insufficient staff in orphanages, most orphans were malnourished, lacked proper care, and lived in extremely poor conditions. Scientists studied the brains of these orphans as adults, and the results were shocking.
The study[1] showed that the brain volume of children adopted from Romania was 8.6% smaller than that of British children . The research team also found that the degree of brain volume reduction was related to the length of time spent in Romanian orphanages: for every additional month, the total brain volume would decrease by 3 cubic centimeters. "The poorer they are, the smaller their brains are," the researchers noted. This study shows that childhood trauma can have a profound impact on the structure and function of the brain. Brain imaging studies show that children who suffer extreme neglect have smaller brains. This picture shows the brains of two 3-year-old children. The one on the right is the brain of a neglected child, and it is obvious that his brain is smaller than the brain of a normal child on the left.
This picture comes from a paper[2] by Bruce D. Perry, director of Texas Child Psychiatry. The paper points out that children who are pampered and cared for by their mothers have more fully developed brains, while children who suffer abuse and neglect have shrunken and smaller brains. Perry explained that children and adults who experience emotional neglect find it particularly difficult to establish healthy relationships, and are more likely to have memory and psychological problems in the future.
Additionally, research[3,4] has found that veterans with PTSD have an 8% reduction in the volume of one side of the hippocampus, compared to the control group. But their volume of the amygdala significantly increases.
These studies indicate that various traumatic events can alter brain development, structure, and function. Emotional neglect, physical and mental abuse, domestic violence, car accidents, and combat experiences are deeply imprinted in our brains and bodies, causing changes in the way we think, react, and behave today. Therefore, some people may not have obvious anxiety factors in their current lives, but because of past traumatic experiences, their brains have been altered so that they now have a variety of anxiety symptoms. These symptoms include inexplicable anxiety and various physical reactions.
If you have experienced trauma, could you be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
The impact of trauma on the brain is mainly concentrated in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Changes in these areas can also lead to anxiety disorders. Let's look at some of the symptoms of PTSD:
•Overactivity of the amygdala: causes hypervigilance and anxiety, manifested as always being very nervous, easily frightened, often fearful and anxious.
•Atrophy of the hippocampus: causes learning and cognitive impairment, manifested as learning difficulties, poor memory and inability to complete simple tasks.
•Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex: affects decision-making and impulse control, manifested as impulsiveness, having difficulty calming down and controlling oneself.
These are just some of the symptoms of PTSD. If you experience the above, it may be a sign that you have PTSD.
So, what should we do?
Currently, mainstream medicine generally recommends psychological therapy and medication to address PTSD. Among the various existing psychotherapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered one of the most effective methods for alleviating PTSD symptoms. Research [5] shows that CBT is effective for 60% of veterans with PTSD. However, another study[6] found that up to 50% of PTSD patients do not respond to CBT.
Antidepressants are currently the first choice for treating PTSD, with the most commonly used being selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, although the overall response rate of SSRIs for PTSD patients is about 60%, but only 20% to 30% of patients can achieve complete remission.[7]
In terms of non-pharmacological and non-psychological treatments. Some severe PTSD patients, as well as a significant portion of others, do not respond to psychological therapy and SSRI medication. However, this does not mean they have no chance of recovery. In current research, there are many non-drug treatments that have been shown to be effective.
As mentioned earlier, traumatic events can alter brain structure and function, leading to PTSD and anxiety. herefore, we need to treat the affected brain cells. Among the methods to promote brain recovery, nutritional supplements and exercise are the most powerful. Because both can repair the brain and promote brain nerve regeneration.
An article[8] published in BioPsychoSocial Medicine in 2011 pointed out that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids can promote neurogenesis in the hippocampus, thereby clearing fear memories in the hippocampus. The study mentioned that 15 patients who were hospitalized due to accidents were recruited in a hospital in Japan. After taking omega-3 fatty acid capsules every day for 12 consecutive weeks, only one patient developed PTSD and depression symptoms, awhile the others recovered completely . This experiment shows that supplementing with omega-3 after accidental injury may effectively reduce PTSD symptoms.
Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound widely found in grapes, peanuts and pomegranates. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can improve depression and anxiety. In some animal experiments, [9] scientists found that resveratrol can increase the level of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the hippocampus, thereby promoting the recovery of the hippocampus. Another study [10] showed that resveratrol can normalize biosynthesis in the brain and prevent dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, thus potentially offering therapeutic effects against PTSD.
Vitamin C has antioxidant effects. Reports [11]suggest that some symptoms of PTSD, such as memory loss and anxiety, may be related to increased oxidative stress in the hippocampus, eventually leading to neuronal degeneration. One study[12] demonstrated that vitamin C supplementation can successfully reduce oxidative stress in the hippocampus and alleviate memory impairment.
There is currently a wealth of research proving that exercise can improve mental health. A 2017 study[13] showed that comprehensive exercise in groups can reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and improve psychological quality of life. A 2014 study[14] showed that aerobic exercise not only fights anxiety but also reduces PTSD symptoms. After two weeks of cycling training among 33 people with PTSD, 89% of the majority of participants experienced a clinically significant reduction in PTSD severity.
The above studies only cover a portion of the treatment for PTSD. Some non-drug, non-psychological natural therapies are not only effective, but can also fundamentally treat anxiety disorders. Of course, relying on the few supplements mentioned above is far from enough. To achieve a healing effect, a systematic approach, the right dosage and combination must be adopted.
Four years ago, I suffered from severe anxiety and depression, having experienced many traumas in the past. I believe these traumas contributed significantly to my later development of anxiety. However, those experiences are now behind me, as I have fully recovered. As someone who has overcome these challenges, I feel a responsibility to share my journey with the public, offering hope that others can also find relief from the pain of PTSD and anxiety. My recovery did not involve medication or psychotherapy because I did not respond to those treatments. As a former acupuncturist, I researched numerous medical articles and, through trial and error, developed some effective and safe methods based on my own experience.
Ref: [1]Mackes NK, Golm D, Sarkar S, Kumsta R, Rutter M, Fairchild G, Mehta MA, Sonuga-Barke EJS; ERA Young Adult Follow-up team. Early childhood deprivation is associated with alterations in adult brain structure despite subsequent environmental enrichment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Jan 7;117(1):641-649. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1911264116. PMID: 31907309; PMCID: PMC6955353. [2]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260387981_Altered_Brain_Development_following_Global_Neglect_in_Early_Childhood [3]Bremner D, Randall P, Scott TN, Bronen RA, Seibyl JP, Southwick SM, Delaney RC, McCarty G, Charney DS, Innis RB. MRI-based measurements of hippocampal volume in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1995a;152:973–981. [4]Pieper J, Chang DG, Mahasin SZ, Swan AR, Quinto AA, Nichols SL, Diwakar M, Huang C, Swan J, Lee RR, Baker DG, Huang M. Brain Amygdala Volume Increases in Veterans and Active-Duty Military Personnel With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2020 Jan/Feb;35(1):E1-E9. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000492. PMID: 31033749; PMCID: PMC6814512. [5]Eftekhari A, Ruzek JI, Crowley JJ, Rosen CS, Greenbaum MA, Karlin BE. Effectiveness of national implementation of prolonged exposure therapy in Veterans Affairs care. JAMA Psychiatry. 2013 Sep;70(9):949-55. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.36. PMID: 23863892. [6]Schottenbauer MA, Glass CR, Arnkoff DB, Tendick V, Gray SH. Nonresponse and dropout rates in outcome studies on PTSD: review and methodological considerations. Psychiatry. 2008 Summer;71(2):134-68. doi: 10.1521/psyc.2008.71.2.134. PMID: 18573035. [7]Berger W, Mendlowicz MV, Marques-Portella C, Kinrys G, Fontenelle LF, Marmar CR, Figueira I. Pharmacologic alternatives to antidepressants in posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2009 Mar 17;33(2):169-80. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.12.004. Epub 2008 Dec 24. PMID: 19141307; PMCID: PMC2720612. [8]Matsuoka Y. Clearance of fear memory from the hippocampus through neurogenesis by omega-3 fatty acids: a novel preventive strategy for posttraumatic stress disorder? Biopsychosoc Med. 2011 Feb 8;5:3. doi: 10.1186/1751-0759-5-3. PMID: 21303552; PMCID: PMC3045887. [9]Ali SH, Madhana RM, K V A, Kasala ER, Bodduluru LN, Pitta S, Mahareddy JR, Lahkar M. Resveratrol ameliorates depressive-like behavior in repeated corticosterone-induced depression in mice. Steroids. 2015 Sep;101:37-42. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2015.05.010. Epub 2015 Jun 3. PMID: 26048446. [10]Zhang ZS, Qiu ZK, He JL, Liu X, Chen JS, Wang YL. Resveratrol ameliorated the behavioral deficits in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2017 Oct;161:68-76. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.09.004. Epub 2017 Sep 23. PMID: 28947177. [11]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891061810000852 [12]Alzoubi KH, Shatnawi AF, Al-Qudah MA, Alfaqih MA. Vitamin C attenuates memory loss induced by post-traumatic stress like behavior in a rat model. Behav Brain Res. 2020 Feb 3;379:112350. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112350. Epub 2019 Nov 8. PMID: 31711893. [13]Goldstein LA, Mehling WE, Metzler TJ, Cohen BE, Barnes DE, Choucroun GJ, Silver A, Talbot LS, Maguen S, Hlavin JA, Chesney MA, Neylan TC. Veterans Group Exercise: A randomized pilot trial of an Integrative Exercise program for veterans with posttraumatic stress. J Affect Disord. 2018 Feb;227:345-352. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.002. Epub 2017 Nov 4. PMID: 29145076. [14]Fetzner MG, Asmundson GJ. Aerobic Exercise Reduces Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Cogn Behav Ther. 2015;44(4):301-13. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2014.916745. Epub 2014 Jun 9. PMID: 24911173.
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