Scientists Study Fear-Centered Memories from 9/11

Everybody remembers 9/11 -- but those who were closest to it seem to remember it a bit differently than the rest of us. That's the verdict from a unique study that examined people who were in the immediate vicinity of the World Trade Center towers and those who were just a few miles away.

The difference, according to brain scans, is that the memories of those closest to the towers are especially acute, apparently due to the involvement of the brain's fear center:

The researchers used specific word cues to elicit participants'
memories, either of 9/11 or another event in 2001, such as a birthdayor a summer vacation. Brain scans showed a major spike in amygdalaactivity for 83 percent of people in the Downtown group as theyrecalled 9/11. In contrast, just 40 percent of those in the Midtowngroup showed this kind of rise...

The amygdala finding was expected, because psychologists andneuroscientists have long suspected that fear plays a key role inlaying down traumatic memories.

While it's only tangentially related to this story, I have a Wired News article coming out soon about how scientists are using brain scans to figure out what happens to our brains when we feel isolated.

9/11 study offers insight [HealthDay]