Press Release

Activating Brain's "Safety Circuit" Can Buffer Against Stress

[ April 2005 ]

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have identified a "safety circuit" in the brain which, when activated, seems to buffer against stressful and anxiety-provoking events, according to a newly-released study in the journal Neuron.

"This new finding has enormous implications for minimizing stress and healing anxiety and related disorders, including depression and PTSD," says psychologist Dr. Bob Murray, co-author of the highly-acclaimed Creating Optimism (McGraw-Hill, paperback 2005). "The key healing factor is enabling people to activate that safety circuit. In our corporate and public programs, we've been teaching people how to do just that, and now we have an even greater understanding of that safety mechanism in the brain."

The Columbia researchers discovered that when mice were in an unsafe situation there was increased activity in a region of the brain called the amygdala, which processes emotions and is activated in fear responses. As long as the mice were in that unsafe situation, nothing would decrease their anxiety.

However, when they were allowed to enter an area where they felt safe, a previously unknown "safety circuit," which exists deep within the brain, was activated. This area is responsible for the good feelings associated with safety and security and is in a part of the brain responsible for happiness and good feelings.

Once the mice were in the safe space and this area had been activated, then events that normally triggered fear responses in the amygdala had little effect.

In humans with mood disorders, the amygdala is often hyper-active and doesn't stop sending alarm signals even when danger has passed or is seen to be a false alarm.

According to Dr. Murray, "This finding helps explain why our programs for the public, health and business professionals have an extremely high success rate. We've always realized that feeling safe was the basis for facillitating positive behavioural change and fostering resilience to stress, and that humans do this through a network of supportive relationships. We give people highly effective and practical tools for creating secure and trustworthy relationships in their families, at work and with friends, which activate the brain's innate mechanism for healing."