Breakthrough in Understanding Brain’s Role in Anxiety
Your heart is racing, your arms are tingling, and your breathing is shallow. You’re having an anxiety attack. And you’re in a public place, to boot. A crowded restaurant, say, or at the office. Not a space where you can comfortably lay on the ground and do some deep breathing exercises to calm yourself.
What if there were a pill that would instead induce that kind of calm breathing for you? That scenario might be possible after a new scientific breakthrough.
Unlocking the Secrets of Breathing
Neuroscientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla have identified a brain pathway that instantly deflates anxiety. The new study, published in the scientific journal Nature Neuroscience, lays out how the aforementioned brain circuit regulates voluntary breathing, allowing us to slow our breath and calm our mind.
A "Yoga Pill" in the Making?
The discovery opens up the potential for the creation of new drugs that would mimic the relaxed state common during breath work, meditation, or yoga. Sung Han, senior author of the study, hopes to one day see a "yoga pill" on the market to ease anxiety. It would likely be useful for the more than 40 million adults in the US, who, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suffer from an anxiety disorder.
How It Works
The study reveals that a group of cells in the cortex, the higher part of the brain responsible for more conscious, complex thought, send messages to the brain stem, which in turn sends information to the lungs. This "circuit" is responsible for slowing down breathing and calming the mind.
Practical Applications
The discovery validates soothing behavioral practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and even "box breathing" – the latter a technique that involves repeatedly breathing in, then holding your breath, for four-second counts in order to relieve stress. It also opens up the potential for new drugs that would target specific areas of the brain, reducing the risk of side effects.
A Pill for Anxiety?
While a "yoga pill" is still a long way off, the research could lead to the creation of new medications that target specific brain areas, making them more effective and reducing side effects. Han’s team is now working to identify the opposite circuit, which increases anxiety, to avoid targeting it.
Conclusion
The discovery of the brain’s role in anxiety is a significant breakthrough in the field of neuroscience. It has the potential to lead to new treatments and medications that could alleviate the suffering of millions of people worldwide.
FAQs
Q: What is the brain circuit responsible for slowing down breathing and calming the mind?
A: A group of cells in the cortex, the higher part of the brain, send messages to the brain stem, which in turn sends information to the lungs.
Q: What are the practical applications of this discovery?
A: The discovery validates soothing behavioral practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and even "box breathing," and opens up the potential for new drugs that target specific areas of the brain.
Q: Is a "yoga pill" imminent?
A: While the research is promising, it could take as much as 10 years for the discovery to lead to the creation of a "yoga pill."
