Longevity Optimization with Kayla Barnes-Lentz Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD: The Biology of Trauma + Nervous System Safety
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Feb 19, 2026 
Dr. Aimie Apigian, double-board-certified physician and trauma expert who created the Biology of Trauma framework, explains how trauma is a measurable physiological response. She outlines how adrenaline and cortisol shape reactions, how trauma is stored as body patterns, and practical somatic tools to create safety, titrate healing, and expand nervous system capacity.
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Adrenaline Drives The Stress Response
- Adrenaline, not cortisol, is the primary stress molecule that drives the immediate stress response.
- Cortisol follows later to buffer adrenaline and protect tissues from damage.
Mitochondria Set Trauma Thresholds
- The amount of extracellular adrenaline versus mitochondrial energy capacity determines whether stress becomes a trauma response.
- Low mitochondrial capacity makes cells trigger a cellular trauma response and shift survival strategy.
Daily Somatic Exercise To Create Safety
- Practice simple somatic safety exercises daily, like placing hands on a tender belly spot and adjusting pressure until it feels calmer.
- Pause and breathe to let vagal signals register safety; repeat regularly to build bodily safety.
