Neurobiology of generalized anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common illness with diagnostic criteria that have changed substantially over time. Symptoms of GAD overlap with those of major depressive disorder to such an extent that studying one disorder without studying the other may be impossible. Such an overlap, combined with potentially inappropriate diagnostic criteria for GAD, makes diagnosing and researching GAD challenging. Recent research into the genetics and neural circuitry of GAD may suggest solutions for the disorder's diagnostic controversies and point the way to productive future studies of etiology and pathophysiology.
University of California at San Diego, 8939 Villa La Jolla Dr, Suite 200, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. mstein@ucsd.edu
Murray B
MB
Stein
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009446:Neurobiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018433:Twin Studies as Topic
D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine