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Brain differs with 'complicated grief'
Lead author Mary-Frances O'Connor of the University of California, Los Angeles, said that for some it's impossible to let go, and even years later, any reminder of their loss -- a picture, a memory -- brings on a fresh wave of grief and yearning.
The study analyzed whether those with "complicated," or long-term, grief had greater activity occurring in either the brain's reward network or pain network than those with non-complicated grief.
The researchers looked at 23 women who had lost a mother or a sister to breast cancer. The researchers found that, of that number, 11 had complicated grief, and 12 had the more normal, non-complicated grief.
The study participants looked at a photograph of a deceased loved one while undergoing brain scanning by functional magnetic resonance imaging and then a photograph of a female stranger.
The study, published in the the journal NeuroImage, found that while both groups had activation in the pain network of the brain after viewing a picture of their loved one, but only individuals with complicated grief showed significant activity in the region of the brain most commonly associated with reward and social attachment.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
This news arrived on: 06/24/2008
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Posted Comments:
06-28-2008 14:16
marvin kantor wrote:
grief vs tms?
i read report,and almost cried,as i have tms,on my left leg,and had it on my right leg,5 yrs ago,mri shows about the same ,heriated disks,all 77 yr. olds get that. so i am going back to dr. sarno,who wrote the book,the mind body perscription,and the devided mind,who is at ccny,ny.he stoped the pain for 5yrs,and i hope,and know he can do it again!yes i still miss my mom and pop very mutch! yes i love my wife,very mutch,but the child in my subconcus wont,let me alone,as the book ,says its still in grief,and and torment,and very angry,so it gives my left leg pain,so as not to overcome my conshness,and come out into the real world,of the living!read the books,it helps,get rid,of this tms problem.till next time?--mk
06-27-2008 09:19
martha wrote:
attachment issues
I believe our culture has attachment issues in general. . .all grief should be complicated grief as God intended. . .it is assuaged over time and then the memories become a reward. . .people who do not experience this over a time are stunted emotionally to some degree. . .thank the consumer culture and the obsession with the present. . .and a fear of death. . .people who have the Christian faith have the hope of seeing their loved ones again. . .a really complicated grief indeed. . .hope and sadness
06-27-2008 06:57
Flinshot wrote:
tooo short story
Only 23 subjects. Too short with no explaination of real life symptoms. There are other kinds of complicated grief. That ought to be included. The kind that lasts for years without a death involved with great trauma. I am such a witness. Of emotional and mental trauma. It was due to loss of child custody without having harmed my only child or allowing any harm to her. She graduated high school last week I moved earth to attend. But, however during the previous decade plus I would experience great sorrow every time a child near her age was present. This is still too hard in an echo like way many days.
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