Neural circuitry of anxiety: evidence from structural and functional neuroimaging studies

Psychopharmacol Bull. 2003;37(4):8-25.

Abstract

Present understanding of the neural circuitry of anxiety has come from a variety of sources, including animal, clinical, and most recently, neuroimaging studies. Evidence from these sources has converged to form a translational bridge from animal models to human pathophysiology. In particular, the classical fear conditioning paradigm has served as a foundation for this bridge. Proposed models for the neural circuitry of normal anxiety as well as the anxiety disorders are discussed. A brief review of specific findings from neuroimaging studies of posttraumatic stress disorder, specific phobia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder is also provided.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Nerve Net / blood supply*
  • Nerve Net / physiopathology*
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / physiopathology
  • Phobic Disorders / physiopathology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / physiopathology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed