The neuroanatomical basis of anxiety.
This review details the neural systems that are important in anxiety-related behaviours. In particular, the role of the amygdaloid complex, Papez circuit, septohippocampal formation and raphe nuclei are described and discussed. Evidence is gathered from a variety of experimental approaches. These include behavioural assessment of anxiety in animals after intracerebral injection of pharmacological agents and following lesions of discrete brain nuclei and selective neurotransmitter pathways. Further evidence is provided by functional brain mapping studies applied to animals and humans. It is proposed that the neural systems recruited in different experimental conditions of anxiety may differ, supporting the notion that clinical anxiety exists in several forms. This has implications for the identification of new anxiolytic treatments. In particular, the findings suggest that approaches aimed at identifying new anxiolytic agents must take into account both the distribution of receptors for the drug and the neuronal systems activated by the experimental protocol.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K.
J A
JA
Pratt
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D009420:Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents