Anxiety disorders and agents used to treat them Flashcards
What regions of the brain does most research point to as being involved with anxiety?
prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and HPA axis
Kulver Bucy Syndrome
Role of temporal structures on emotions and temperament, but especially the amygdala (monkeys that had removed temporal lobe segments made them docile and unable to learn from negative experience)
The removal of just the amygdala is enough to
cause Kluver-Bucy Syndrome
What is the amygdala responsible for?
recognition and management of fear
How do we recognize danger
Thalamus projects auditory and visual information to the amygdala that is perceived as threatening BEFORE sending it to the cortex to be processed.
Where is brain activity during anticipatory anxiety?
Activity in the amygdala, hippocampus, and insula
What memory changes occur due to fear?
Structural changes in the amygdala in reaction to fearful circumstances
Feelings of fear are regulated by an OVERACTIVE reciprocal connections between
the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex
One of the central components of anxiety is the feeling
that one is not in control
What is the metaphorical brakes for the amygdala?
the mPFC (medial prefrontal cortex)
Patients with PTSD have demonstrated that their pre frontal cortex is
insufficiently powered and unable to turn down the “alarm” in the amygdala
What interaction between nature and nurture can be considered responsible for the development of PTSD?
A small hippocampus and exposure to trauma
Which neurotransmitters have been implicated in the anxiety response?
GABA, NE, BDNF
Activating GABA neurons
calms the brain down
Too much GABA activation causes
sluggishness and even coma
Stressed rates show increases in
NE release
Peripheral NE causes
somatic symptoms of anxiety
What is essential for the acquisition and extinction of anxiety?
BDNF
What is the relationship of breastfeeding and anxiety?
A recent study saw that children whose parents separated or divorced when the children were between the age of 5 and 10 were more resilient and less anxious if they had been breastfed.
What specific part of the brain is affected in OCD?
Basal Ganglia
Serotonin is the key neurotransmitter in
the amygdala and in elements of the CSTC circuits
Which medication is a general anxiolytic but not approved for anxiety disorder subtypes?
Buspar
What types of antidepressants are effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and fear?
Antidepressants that increase serotonin SSRIs and SNRIs