"Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute."
Fyodor Dostoevsky, Winter Notes on Summer Impressions
Chances are you’ve heard this game before in some form, maybe with a pink elephant instead of a polar bear. And though it’s just a game, the similar phenomenon of being unable to rid your mind of intrusive thoughts can pose serious dangers to mental health, and it’s a hallmark symptom of psychiatric disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia.
What’s going on in the brain when you’re trying to clear unwanted thoughts from your mind?
Scientists just got much closer to the answer, it seems. A study published in the journal Nature by researchers at the University of Cambridge details how people with higher concentrations of the amino acid neurotransmitter GABA in their brain’s hippocampal region tend to be better at blocking unwanted thoughts, images and memories.
Continue reading includes links to further reading. Very interesting.
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