Better Communication With the Public: Understanding Science Phobia and Mistrust as Neurobiological Phenomena

Much has been written recently about science mistrust and illiteracy and consequent phobia of recommendations and interventions that have grown out of that science. Both reinforcing and reversing these phenomena depend on strategies aimed at brain networks that generate them. The neurogenesis of specific phobias involves a network that includes the amygdala and the hypothalamus and their connection through the stria terminalis. Decreased GABAergic inhibition of this circuit results in limbic activation and induction of fear pathways. The neurogenesis of mistrust involves suppression of a network that includes the central amygdala and the shell of the nucleus accumbens, both of which are rich in oxytocin receptors and yield dopaminergic output. Oxytocin signaling mediates trust, whereas, at least in men, dihydrotestosterone signaling mediates mistrust. The possibility of involvement of these limbic circuits in both science phobia and mistrust may underlie the high efficacy of emotionally focused communication in reinforcing them. Yet, recent efforts to reverse science phobia and mistrust have more often involved intellectually focused communication. Assuming limbic network origins of science phobia and mistrust, this commentary presents and discusses the use of emotionally focused communication and explicit, public identification of manipulative techniques and innuendo to influence the prevalence of these phenomena.