A team of scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles may have a potential drug target in the brain that could be used to prevent the development of post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders in individuals who have gone through a traumatic experience.

The researchers found that certain specialized neurons in the brain known as gap junctions may play a large role in the development of fear memories following trauma. In part due to the fact that brain has such a small number of these cells, few studies have looked at them as a potential target for controlling fear responses.

For the study, investigators tested a set of drugs in rats to see if blocking the function of these gap junctions could prevent exaggerated fear responses. They found that mice that were given the drugs were less likely to become fearful of places after a frightening experience.

The researchers said that gap junctions are more common in animals with less advanced brains. Additionally, fear responses are believed to generate in more primitive areas of the brain, which may explain the connection.