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A Brief Primer on the Neuroscience of Threat and Safety Responses
To review the neuroscience background as briefly and clearly as possible for the non-technical reader, I shall present a simplified version and avoid the use of jargon and acronyms. If the reader wishes to resolve the resulting imprecision, hovering over a highlighted word or phrase will show the technical meaning I intend, and clicking will take you to the glossary for a definition or more information. Of course the system is much more complicated than this.2
All vertebrate animals have a complex neural system that automatically and unconsciously monitors the environment for immediate danger or safety, and coordinates adaptive responses throughout the body. The Fight-or-Flight Response is activated by perceived danger, and regulates almost every organ of the body to prepare for vigorous physical effort to survive an immediate threa.3 In order to achieve peak performance in moments of crisis, other non-urgent functions are temporarily shut down, such as feeding, digestion, immune response, and reproduction. These somatic effects underlie visceral sensations associated with the emotion of fear, such as a racing or pounding heart, sweaty palms, shallow and rapid breathing, dry mouth, or a sinking feeling in the stomach. Thet "Fight-or-Flight Response" is energetically costly, and not sustainable.
The exact opposite occurs during the opposing “Rest-and-Digest Response,” which is most active when conditions of safety are detected. This neural pathway slows the breath and heart rate, and promotes regenerative and self-sustaining functions throughout the body. In a healthy person, these opposing systems dynamically engage and disengage in response to the demands of each situation. By way of illustration and summary, Figure 1 presents a sketch of what might be happening in these pathways in different situations.
This page references:
- "Ballads on the Brain: A Neurobiological Hypothesis"
- "Ballads on the Brain: A Neurobiological Hypothesis"
- "Ballads on the Brain: A Neurobiological Hypothesis"
- Figure 1. A conceptual illustration of neural responses to danger and safety.
- "Ballads on the Brain: A Neurobiological Hypothesis"
- Fight-or-Flight Response