title: The pharmacology of anxiety.
abstract: Understanding the neurochemistry of anxiety is of fundamental importance in the development and use of novel anxiolytics. Through measuring peripheral markers of brain biochemistry, direct pharmacological challenges and brain neuroimaging techniques our understanding of this field has increased substantially in the past few decades. We review the four most studied neurotransmitter systems with respect to in anxiety disorders: gamma amino-butyric acid, serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. We have focussed upon clinical studies to highlight the current techniques used to determine brain neurochemistry in vivo. Future research in this field will greatly benefit from recent advances in neuroimaging techniques and the discovery of novel ligands targeting specific receptors.
authors.affiliation: Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Whitson Street, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK. Claire.Durant@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durant
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Christmas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D012701:Serotonin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine