Anxiety and anxiolytics Flashcards
What is anxiety?
a normal, physiological response to threatening situations that serves as a protective function
What is pathological anxiety?
concern about stressor is out of proportion to the realistic threat and can occur without exposure to an external stressor
How many people in the UK are affected by anxiety disorders?
8 million
Examples of anxiety disorders?
Specific phobias, social anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, Generalised anxiety disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder
length of generalised anxiety disorder?
6 months
What are the core elements of anxiety disorders?
Negative cognition, physiology (heart racing etc), avoidance behaviour
What is negative cognition?
A bias to interpret unthreatening situations as threatening
Physiological symptoms of anxiety disorders?
Racing heart, restlessness, sweating, increased blood pressure
Part of anxiety disorder that the cortex is involved in?
negative cognition
Part of anxiety disorder that hippocampus the is involved in?
Memory
Part of anxiety disorder that the amygdala is involved in?
fear perception
Part of anxiety disorder that the hypothalamus is involved in?
Stress responsiveness
Part of anxiety disorder that the basal ganglia/cerebellum are involved in?
movement control
What hormone is released upon the perception of stress?
Corticotropin releasing hormone
Which part of the brain releases Corticotropin releasing hormone?
Hypothalamus
Where is Corticotropin releasing hormone released onto?
Pituitary gland
Which stress related hormone is released by the pituitary gland?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Where is ACTH released onto?
The adrenal gland
What is produced by the adrenal glands in response to ACTH?
Glucocorticoids, particularly cortisol
Why is cortisol released in response to stress?
To give you the energy for the fight or flight response, as it is responsible for metabolism of glucose and lipids
Where is adrenaline released from in response to stress?
Adrenal glands
Which brain area is first used in the fear response and why?
Thalamus as it deals with sensory stuff
Which brain area is used after the thalamus in the fear response?
Amygdala
Role of amygdala in fear response?
Switching on amine NTs (noradrenaline etc)