Fear comes from within the gene

Scientists have found the gene of fear - the gene that controls the production of a protein in the brain region associated with a fear response.

The results may lead to treatment of neurological disorders such as mental shock and excessive anxiety.

Gene is also known as stathmin or oncoprotein 18, concentrated in the amygdala, the brain region associated with fear and anxiety.

" This is an important step to better understand neurological disorders caused by trauma, phobia, personality disorder and other similar diseases, " said Professor Gleb Shumyatsky at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, said. " It will provide important information about how fear of instinct and fear of learning takes place and thereby help find new treatments ."

The fear of learning will form after an incident, such as a person being stung by bees and fearing insects. These memories are formed in the amygdala.

Experimental results show that mice that are modified to not produce stathmin have brain disorders and are less likely to recall reactions caused by fear. In addition, they also have unusual behavior. Mice often avoid gaps in an instinctive way, but mice without stathmin do not appear frightened and often reach more gaps than normal mice.

MT ( according to ABC Online )