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Forums → WEPR → Brain Damaged Woman Feels No Fear

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Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/amygdala.jpg
(Cat-Scans of SM's brain. Note the deteoriation in the central part of the brain)

Article Here

Title says it all. A woman who literally can't feel fear. At first, this wouldn't seem that bad. You could watch SAW without flinching, and go through the scariest haunted house without fluttering an eyelash. Yet it could take a more serious turn: if you can't feel fear, how do you know if its safe?

So I was curious as to what my fellow AGer's thought about this, and the possible implications of it. Here are somethings that you should probaly think about:

-Could a medication be created to recreate the affects (or lack therof) of this?

-What are some of the problems that this disease could cause? Some good?

-How could you see this affection your own life? What would you do?

  • 17 Replies
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

1) Recreate the effects of fear? Or create no fear? The amygdala is the area of the brain that regulates fear. If the amygdala is gone or if it shuts down, no other part of the brain can produce this emotion. So, if you had a healthy amygdala, there are medications to lower the fear produced from it. I can't think of any medications to induce fear--that's kinda mean...But there are ways of stimulating the amygdala to produce fear at any given time. It's kinda nifty.

2) One obvious problem is the fact that you won't run or be afraid of any dangers. If there is a hungry, salivating lion ready to eat you, you only have your cognitive processes to say "Hey! Run away you idiot!" and have it realize the things that you can and can't be safe from. It could also affect your decision making process--no fear means you wouldn't think of any bad consequences to your actions, or at least making it difficult.

3. Well if my amygdala wasn't producing any fear, I could finally be rid of my Majora's Mask horrors...Although as stated above, parts of my decision-making processes would be difficult to produce. I think mentally, I'm capable of knowing what is dangerous and what is not without my amygdala exaggerating it for me.

Sonatavarius
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Sonatavarius
1,322 posts
Farmer

its similar to the concept of saying the part of your brain that allows you to smell is damaged or gone... if its badly damaged or deteriorated to the point of non functionality you may be able to use a drug to amplify the strength of the signals of what few functioning cells u have left... if its not there or destroyed beyond repair then its simple... u won't smell ever again (unless we can cyberfy that part of your brain)

AnaLoGMunKy
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AnaLoGMunKy
1,573 posts
Blacksmith

It could also affect your decision making process--no fear means you wouldn't think of any bad consequences to your actions, or at least making it difficult.


I guess it would depend on how quick witted you were e.g. you open your breadbin and see a Trex. You dont move a muscle and the trex doesnt see you... your saved and mark bolan meanders off down the street with a roar and eats some other unfortunate... However you might open your breadbin and see a lion and think "I better run" and your still saved. However if you are thick as mince then you might just act normal and pick up your bread to make toast in which case you are lunch.

What Im getting at is it may help depending on how well you ***** a situation. I think you kinda said that anyway Freakenstein.
Asherlee
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Asherlee
5,001 posts
Shepherd

I read an article on this woman yesterday. When I read it, I was still left with a question. Have they REALLY tried to scare her? I mean, snakes, spiders, scary movies..blah. I'm not scared of the things they listed.

They should really test it by putting her into a situation.

Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

Recreate the effects of fear? Or create no fear? The amygdala is the area of the brain that regulates fear. If the amygdala is gone or if it shuts down, no other part of the brain can produce this emotion. So, if you had a healthy amygdala, there are medications to lower the fear produced from it. I can't think of any medications to induce fear--that's kinda mean...But there are ways of stimulating the amygdala to produce fear at any given time. It's kinda nifty.


If you had no amygdala, that means the chemicals producing fear aren't there. Under the same principle, you could design a medication to either inhibit or enhance production of chemicals by the amygdala, you could effectively control how much fear a person feels. Could be used on the battlefield, or in circuses, or in CIA Interrogation.

no fear means you wouldn't think of any bad consequences to your actions, or at least making it difficult.


So, something similar to people who can't feel pain in that they don't realize the danger they're actually in?

I guess it would depend on how quick witted you were e.g. you open your breadbin and see a Trex.


If a breadbin is as big as I think it is, than the T-Rex in it wouldn't be much of a threat... But anyways, like you said, you would have to pretty much think your way through it. I can think of several times when me being afraid has led to instant reactions that got me out of the situation. If your sitting there, thinking about whether to fight or flight, the T-Rex could easily rip your face off. On the other hand, if you didn't have fear hanging about, you could react to things differently than most people, and possibly arrive at a different conclusion than normal.

They should really test it by putting her into a situation.


Problem is that she would know its not a real threat, and wouldn't react accordingly. The article I put in the OP says that she was in a situation where she was almost knifed, and didn't freak out, and I would count that as a relatively scary situation.
Efan
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Efan
3,086 posts
Nomad

Problem is that she would know its not a real threat, and wouldn't react accordingly. The article I put in the OP says that she was in a situation where she was almost knifed, and didn't freak out, and I would count that as a relatively scary situation.

Not necessarily. People can react calmly to hostile situations like that. Taking it to the next level would be to tie her up, line her family and loved ones in front of her and put guns to their heads and/or torture them. I'm not saying that's something to do; or even something I would like to hear about. But i'm thinking of this for the sake of argument.
Asherlee
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Asherlee
5,001 posts
Shepherd

It doesn't have to be a deadly situation. Something to the effect of Scare Tactics.

eirwen
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eirwen
172 posts
Nomad

You don't necessarily have to "feel" fear in order to know if a situation is dangerous. if you've been alive for long enough you'd know whether or not an area was safe based on observation etc.

That said, I'd like to see more research done into this. Mayhaps it could be a good thing. Mayhaps not. I guess time will only tell, especially concerning this woman

Darkroot
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Darkroot
2,763 posts
Peasant

-What are some of the problems that this disease could cause? Some good?


What's good about not being afraid? There is a reason why we are afraid of snakes and spiders. It's evolutionary fear. The more our ancestors were afraid of these (sometimes) deadly creatures the less of a chance they would die, thus help spread their genes. Which would contain this embedded fear.

For example lets say you feel no pain. Awesome right? No one can hurt you. But what if that pain is your bodies way of saying that there is something wrong or your doing something wrong with your body. Or you left your hand on a grill unconsciously and now your doing major damage without knowing it.

I consider our bodies to be pretty well made and that cutting away bits or trying to change them might not be the best course of action. Especially if they are there for a reason.
Efan
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Efan
3,086 posts
Nomad

If researchers found a temporary drug to prevent the fear response it could be used for the military, but that has a major drawback and a big plus: The soldiers would not be afraid to go into heavy combat, but, it has been proven 100% that fear makes the human body run faster, as fear spikes the use and production of adrenaline.

Sonatavarius
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Sonatavarius
1,322 posts
Farmer

>.> .... u can inject adrenaline... whether its natural adrenaline or synthetic (produced in a lab)

Efan
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Efan
3,086 posts
Nomad

But that may not be ideal in a situation when your on the go, or in combat.

Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

You don't necessarily have to "feel" fear in order to know if a situation is dangerous. if you've been alive for long enough you'd know whether or not an area was safe based on observation etc.


But then you'd lose that insticnt telling you that the lion is dangerous, and you should run. Fear keeps up safe, and if we have to stop to observe our surroundings all the time, it could be very dangerous in the long run.

@Darkroot

Very nice.

But that may not be ideal in a situation when your on the go, or in combat.


Not nessasarily. Epi-Pens for those with allergies are essentialy adrenaline, in a very large quantaty. Wouldn't be too hard to carry around a few syringes or something like that.

Gotta love playing Devils-Advocate...
loloynage2
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loloynage2
4,206 posts
Peasant

well without fear some stuff that seem dangerous would be easily used or controlled by that woman. I mean without fear, i don't think you lose your common sense. The woman would still now what would kill her. And if she is in a dangerous situation she could keep her calm and try to solve it.

XxCoLoUrBliNdxX
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XxCoLoUrBliNdxX
10 posts
Nomad

Fear doesn't help determine whether or not something is safe. Common sense and basic intelligence/reasoning do. Fear is just a biproduct of those things deciding something is unsafe.

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