New research reveals that adults with PTSD tend to have smaller cerebellums, a part of the brain responsible for movement coordination and balance.
It is unclear whether a smaller cerebellum contributes to the development of PTSD or if PTSD causes the shrinkage.
The study highlights its potential role in influencing emotion and memory.
Researching brain shrinkage
The person in charge of the study says that if we find these brain areas, we can use special treatments like brain stimulation to help people with PTSD even more.
The results make scientists want to study more to find out if having a smaller cerebellum makes someone more likely to get PTSD, or if having PTSD makes the cerebellum shrink.
While scientists have looked at the amygdala and hippocampus a lot when studying PTSD, they haven't paid much attention to the cerebellum.
But the cerebellum is really important because it does more than just help with balance and movement. It has a lot of nerve cells packed inside it.
The experiment involved a large dataset of over 4,200 MRI scans, revealing consistent reductions in cerebellar size of about 2% in individuals with PTSD, particularly in regions associated with emotion and memory.
Moreover, the severity of PTSD correlated with a smaller cerebellum, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of the issue.
Previously, we talked about things that affect a child's intelligence.
