Dissociative disorders can be triggered by severe psychological trauma. During traumatic experiences, people may experience disruption in their memory, perception, consciousness, identity, or sense of self. This disconnection from reality is known as dissociation, which manifests differently for each person but can include derealization, depersonalization, amnesia, or out-of-body experiences. These symptoms are often exacerbated by feelings of fear, helplessness, and powerlessness that accompany trauma.
Trauma-related anxiety and PTSD are common comorbidities with dissociative disorders. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by persistent reexperiencing of the traumatic event, avoidance of reminders associated with it, increased arousal, and negative alterations in cognition and mood. It can lead to a range of emotional and behavioral responses, including social withdrawal, hypervigilance, nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts.
The neural networks implicated in these conditions are still being studied, but current research suggests several areas of the brain are involved. The prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala play critical roles in regulating emotion, memory, and emotional processing. Disrupted functioning in these regions has been observed in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The thalamus, insula, parietal lobe, and cerebellum are thought to be involved in sensory integration and awareness of the body's physical state.
Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying these conditions may inform effective treatments.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), which targets traumatic memories through bilateral stimulation, appears to engage specific neural pathways related to attention, emotion, and memory consolidation. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on challenging unhelpful beliefs and behaviors, has also been shown to modulate activity in regions linked to fear conditioning and threat detection.
This article provides an overview of the neural networks that underpin dissociative disorders, PTSD, and their associated anxiety. Understanding how they work can help clinicians develop targeted interventions to support clients' healing processes.
Which neural networks are implicated in dissociation, trauma-related anxiety, and adaptive coping, and how do they inform therapeutic interventions?
Dissociation is defined as an involuntary psychological detachment from reality that can be caused by severe stress, such as physical or sexual abuse, combat experiences, natural disasters, or accidents. It involves a separation of consciousness from the present, and it can lead to altered perceptions of time, identity, memory, and emotion.