Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
Fxn of amygdala
Processing emotionally salient stimuli (central in anxiety)
Fxn of medial PFC
Includes ACC, subcallosal cortex, and medial frontal gyrus, modulates affect
Fxn of hippocampus
Memory encoding and retrieval
Psychodynamic model of anxiety
Anxiety is a signal of presence of danger in unconscious – result of psychic conflict between sexual/aggressive wishes and corresponding threats from superego or external reality (never verified)
Behavioral model of anxiety
Anxiety is a conditioned response to a specific stimulus
Cognitive behavioral model of anxiety
On top of behavioral model, also has to do with how one perceives threats (overpercieves danger and underestimates coping skills)
CBT is effective for…
Panic, social anxiety, PTSD
Exposure therapy is effective for…
Agora and specific phobias
Exposure therapy + response prevention is effective for…
OCD
Medical conditions assc w anxiety
Endocrinopathies, cardiac, respiratory
Medications that can cause anxiety
Corticosteroids, OCP, inhalers, decongestants, SSRIs
Drugs of abuse that can cause anxiety
CAFFEINE, cocaine, MJ, MDMA, alcohol
W/drawals assc. w anxiety
CAFFEINE, cocaine, MJ, alcohol, beta blockers, corticosteroids
Panic attack criteria
Discreet period of intense fear/discomfort w/ 4+ of following developed quickly and peaking in minutes:
- Palpitations, pounding heart
- Sweating
- Trembling, shaking
- SOB or smothering
- Choking feeling
- Chest pain/discomfort
- Dizziness
- Abdominal distress
- Chills/hot flashes
- Feelings of unreality
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of dying
- Paresthesias
Panic Disorder criteria
- Reccurent, unexpected panic attacks
- At least 1 mo of persistent concern about another attack, worry about possible implications/consequences, or significant behavioral change re: to attacks
- Panic attacks not due to physiologic effects of substance/med condition
- Attacks not accounted for by another disorder
Neurotransmitters involved in panic
NE, 5HT, GABA
Neuroanatomy of panic
Brain stem: fires to create ANS symptoms
Amygdala/limbic system: anticipatory anxiety
PFC: phobic avoidance
Panic Tx
- Elimination of alcohol/drugs/caffeine/OTC stims etc from diet
- CBT
- SSRIs, Venlafaxine, TCAs, benzos
- FDA APPROVED: Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Alprazolam, Clonazepam