Neurobiology of Pediatric Anxiety Disorders.
While the fear-based anxiety disorders (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia and separation anxiety disorder) are among the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, only recently has an integrated understanding of the neurobiology of these disorders developed. In this regard, both structural and functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated neuroanatomic and functional abnormalities within the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in youth with fear-based anxiety disorders, and have also suggested altered functional connectivity among components of the anterior limbic network (ALN), as well as alterations in neurochemistry within the anterior cingulate cortex. Additionally, several prefrontal structures and regions (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex) appear to be dysregulated in youth who are at risk of developing anxiety disorders (e.g., youth with inhibited temperament, behavioral inhibition, etc.). Finally, emerging data raise the possibility that functional activity within these amygdala-prefrontal networks may be affected by successful psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic treatment and may predict outcome.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Box 670559, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0559, USA.
Jeffrey R
JR
Strawn
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Box 670559, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0559, USA.
Kelli C
KC
Dominick
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA.
Luis R
LR
Patino
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA.
Christopher D
CD
Doyle
James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Lara S
LS
Picard
Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology and Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Cincinnati, OH, USA ; Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
K Luan
KL
Phan
1H MRS; Anxiety disorders; Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); Separation anxiety disorder (SAD); Social phobia (SoP); fMRI