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A new study has revealed that the brains of adolescent boys and girls process traumatic stress in different ways. It would appear that when the brains of children were scanned after experiencing situations of extreme emotional distress, some parts reacted differently based on gender.
The study was conducted by researchers at Stanford University. During the scan, it was discovered that in one part of the insula, there was structural difference in processing PTSD. The insula is one of the parts of the brain responsible for processing emotions. It basically acts as a transformer, which then allows the children to manage their emotions as well as their actions.
This study is also the first to be published that had actual findings regarding differences in how children of both sexes process trauma involving the insula. According to Victor Carrion, MD, the senior author of the study, this is incredibly important because it brings scientists one step closer to providing children who experience PTSD with effective treatment.
“The insula appears to play a key role in the development of PTSD,” Carrion said. “The difference we saw between the brains of boys and girls who have experienced psychological trauma is important because it may help explain differences in trauma symptoms between sexes.”
An important distinction when it comes to children going through a traumatic experience is the appearance of symptoms associated with PTSD. As MedicalXpress notes, not every child who undergoes traumatic stress suffers PTSD.
A telling sign is when the victim starts seeing flashbacks or exhibit avoidance behavior of places or objects that are reminders of their experience. According to the study's lead author, Megan Klabunde, Ph.D., their findings would be most helpful to therapists in refining their approach to treatments.
"It is important that people who work with traumatized youth consider the sex differences," Klabunde said. "Our findings suggest it is possible that boys and girls could exhibit different trauma symptoms and that they might benefit from different approaches to treatment."
