Bereaved people unconsciously suppress thoughts of lost loved ones

Thinking of lost loved ones

Thinking of lost loved ones

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After a bereavement, some people unconsciously suppress thoughts about their dead relative. Now for the process has been observed while someone lies in a brain scanner.

The findings may shed light on people’s different coping styles after loss, says Noam Schneck of Columbia Engineering in New York.

The brain scanner involved is known as an fMRI machine, which can reveal the activity of different parts of the brain, based on patterns of blood flow. This approach can enable a degree of mind-reading, and can be used to detect when …