Biological Factors

2 main biological factors

1. GABA dysfunction (neurochemical imbalance)

2. Long-Term Potentiation (brain wiring changes)

GABA

gamma- amino butyric acid → main inhibitory neurotransmitter (slows brain firing)

like a red traffic light for brain activity

Glutamate

main exciatory neurotransmitter → green traffic light for neuron firing

balances GABA out to regulate CNS arousal

when GABA malfunctions

• “brain’s chill pill is missing”

• brains “brakes” don’t work properly

• neurons overfire → more anxiety & fight- flight- freeze triggers

• makes you more vulnerable to phobias

GABA dysfunction link to phobias

If GABA levels are low → you’re more easily triggered and more likely to form fear associations

Long-term potentiation

strengthening of neural connections through repeated activation

LTP in phobias

• a phobia stimulus (e.g. a spider) gets paired with fear/ anxiety

• every time you experience or think about it → the neural pathway is activated → connection gets stronger

MAKES FEAR AUTOMATIC AND LONG- LASTING

key link between LTP and phobias

LTP turns a one-time scary experience into a super-charged fear memory that’s easy to trigger and hard to unlearn