Neural circuitry of anxiety: evidence from structural and functional neuroimaging studies.
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.
Cannistraro
Paul A
PA
Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
Rauch
Scott L
SL
D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed