Question
What are some long-term effects of trauma on the brain?
Answer
Long-term trauma can significantly impact various brain regions, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala, responsible for emotional responses, can become hyperactive, leading to exaggerated fear responses, such as constant feelings of imminent danger.
Trauma survivors, especially those with childhood trauma, may exhibit smaller hippocampal regions, affecting memory, emotional regulation, and stress responses. Additionally, trauma can suppress the prefrontal cortex, impairing executive functions such as decision-making, planning, and impulse control, potentially leading to issues like addiction, ADHD, or learning difficulties.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Achieving Resiliency After Trauma: Ways to Support Symptom Relief, presented by Samantha Silverman, MSW, LCSW
