Cureus. 2026 Jan 16;18(1):e101672. doi: 10.7759/cureus.101672. eCollection 2026 Jan.
ABSTRACT
Developmental neurobiology indicates that baseline calibration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis occurs predominantly during critical periods of plasticity (zero to five years). Early trauma may generate lifelong Allostatic Load, manifesting as a probable physiological substrate of psychosomatic disorders, treatment-resistant anxiety, and systemic dysfunctions, including chronic pain and metabolic sensitivities. Conventional therapies often operate via extinction mechanisms, which may suppress rather than modify the original fear trace. This article describes the RB7™ Protocol (Reconsolidation & Biology 7-Steps), a structured intervention designed to induce Memory Updating through interoceptive Mismatch Prediction Error. The methodology prioritizes biological validity over historical veracity (focusing on the functional engram regardless of factual accuracy). The protocol consists of seven sequential steps: (1) Hypothesis Mapping and Safety Calibration; (2) Vagal Modulation; (3) Engram Reactivation; (4) Heuristic Tracking using somatic bridging to bypass System 2; (5) Updating via Radical Reality; (6) Immediate Verification; and (7) Real-World Verification. This sequence aims to replicate the neurochemical conditions required for memory labilization. By utilizing somatic evidence of survival to overcome extinction-based barriers, the protocol presents a theoretically coherent mechanism for rewriting traumatic engrams. While current findings are based on preliminary multiple-case series, they suggest Affective Neutrality as a clinical marker of allostatic reversal. However, future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are required to establish statistical generalizability.
PMID:41700288 | PMC:PMC12906688 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.101672
