1: Neurobiology of Anxiety Disease Flashcards
A neurotransmitter that mediates inhibition in the brain
GABA
Anxiety disorders are linked to dysfunctional __________ signaling in the brain
GABAergic
Processes fear and response to threats; dysfunctional in individuals with anxiety disorders
Brain circuits
Consists of the brain + spinal cord
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Spinal nerves that transmit motor and sensory signals between cells in the brain, spinal cord, and body
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla
Brainstem
Part of the brain that controls motor coordination, speech recognition, posture maintenance, and sensorimotor signaling processing
Cerebellum
A bridge of white matter that connects the right and left hemispheres of the cerebrum
Corpus Callosum
Comprises the bulk of the brain; right and left hemisphere
Cerebrum
The lobe that processes information about taste, touch, temperature, movement, language
Parietal Lobe
The lobe that mediates higher-level thought processes and voluntary movement
Frontal Lobe
The lobe that contains the primary site of visual processing
Occipital Lobe
The lobe that contains the limbic system and regulates memory formation and emotional processes (includes Hippocampus and Amygdala)
Temporal Lobe
Relays incoming sensory information to sensory processing areas of the brain
Thalamus
Mediates hormone signaling, autonomic functions and brain homeostasis
Hypothalamus
Contains the Thalamus and Hypothalamus
Diencephalon
The pathway that mediates physical response to stress
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis
An electrically excitable cell that transmits information to other cells
Neuron
Part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and basic machinery that cells require in order to function
Soma
A projection from the soma that acts as a receptor
Dendrite
Cylindrical structure that carries outgoing - efferent - signals from soma to other neurons
Axon
The concentration of different ions on either side of the cell membrane that maintains the cell’s overall charge
Membrane Potential
Electrical signal that transmits messages between brain cells. Voltage-gated ion channels open and close, allowing ions to flow in-out of cell
Action Potential
Connection point between 2 neurons; enables transmission of electrical signal between cells
Synapse
Chemical signaling molecules that allow neurons to communicate
Neurotransmitters
Synaptic receptors that bind and are activated by neurotransmitters
Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs)
The main excitatory neurotransmitter
Glutamate
Allow positively charged ions to enter the cell; promotes action potential firing
Glutamate receptors
Receptors that allow Cl- ions to flow into the postsynaptic cell, resulting in the difficulty of an action potential firing
GABAa
Neuromodulatory neurotransmitters
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- Norephinephrine
Neuromodulator functions
- Social cooperation
- Attention
- Decision-making
- Goal-directed behavior
____ % of the population fulfill the diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorder; prevalence highest in people aged 18-25 yrs
14%
Individuals with GAD, ____% of cases may be inhertied, and as many as ____ % of SAD and PD are potentially genetically linked
35%, 50%
Individuals with anxiety disorders “_____ _____” to perceived threats and have a heightened stress response overall
overly attend
Age group in which anxiety disorders are most prevalent
18-25 yrs
The amygdala is often ______ in patients with anxiety
Overactive
Subtype: Anxiety of social situations
SAD
Subtype: Recurrent unexpected panic attacks
PD
Subtype: Worry that is out of proportion d/t the likelihood of an anticipated event
GAD
