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Middle aged woman not scared of anything

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An American woman who has no fear of anything may hold the key to discovering treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Reported in the journal Current Biology, the 44-year-old isn’t frightened of anything, including ghosts, snakes, spiders or even muggers.

The mother of three has a psychological condition, the result of a rare genetic disease that damaged a brain structure called the amygdala.

The amygdala plays a key role in making people feel afraid in threatening situations, scientists say.  Living in a rough neighbourhood, she has faced assaults, domestic violence and knifepoint muggings, but shrugged it all off.

The woman has been under observation for more than 20 years and has even been put in the most ‘haunted house’ in America and made to watch the scariest movies to no effect.

She hasn’t felt fear as an adult, not even 15 years ago when a man pressed a knife to her throat and hissed, ‘I’m going to cut you’.  He ran off when she didn’t back down.

Researcher Justin Feinstein, of the University of Iowa, said her lack of fear may have freaked the guy out.

He said:  ‘The nature of fear is survival and the amygdala helps us stay alive by avoiding situations that put our life in danger. Because she is missing her amygdala, she is also missing the ability to detect danger. It is remarkable she is still alive.’

You can read the full story on the BBC.

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