Experimental drug removes stress, but might also shut off emotions and fear

Experimental drug removes stress, but might also shut off emotions and fear

Here’s another drug for the “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” file.

In recent years, scientists have been unraveling the functions of the amygdala – a small but complex area of the brain that’s deeply involved with psychiatric and behavioral functions.

And the amygdala is the target of a drug called muscimol, which is designed to relieve stress.

In a recent trial, researchers subjected rats to stressful conditions, and then gave them a small dose of muscimol. One of the researchers told Ivanhoe Newswire that stress effects were completely eliminated, and added, “It was as if the experience had never happened. Inactivation of the amygdala took the stress away.”

Pretty impressive. And pretty scary.

The amygdala is responsible for emotional response function, hormone secretion, and autonomic responses associated with fear.

So just imagine if those things were switched off. Presto! No stress! Also, no emotions and no fear.

If this were an old-fashioned B-movie, it would be right about here that someone would say, “I just hope this doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

Source:
“Anti-Stress Drug” Ivanhoe Newswire, 11/19/08, ivanhoe.com