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Anxiety symptoms in epilepsy: salient issues for future research
Hamada Hamid1, Alan B Ettinger, Marco Mula
1Yale University and VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, CT, USA.
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|July 12, 2011
Summary
This review covers anxiety disorders, focusing on neuroimaging in epilepsy. Emerging research suggests white matter changes and neurotransmitter alterations may impact mood and anxiety symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Anxiety disorders present distinct symptoms, epidemiology, and pathogenesis.
- Mood and anxiety disorders are common comorbidities in epilepsy.
- Existing research implicates structural neuroimaging in mood and anxiety disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the symptom profile, epidemiology, pathogenesis, assessment, and treatment of anxiety disorders.
- To highlight emerging neuroimaging research in mood and anxiety disorders within the epilepsy population.
- To explore the potential of advanced neuroimaging techniques in understanding these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on anxiety disorders and neuroimaging.
- Analysis of structural neuroimaging findings (e.g., grey matter changes).
- Examination of diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for white matter and neurotransmitter analysis.
Main Results:
- Structural neuroimaging suggests involvement of frontal and temporal grey matter in mood and anxiety disorders.
- Diffusion tensor imaging and MRS show potential for identifying white matter alterations.
- Future MRS studies may reveal changes in glutamate and GABA levels.
Conclusions:
- Neuroimaging, particularly advanced techniques like MRS, offers promising insights into the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders in epilepsy.
- Understanding white matter changes and neurotransmitter levels could inform treatment strategies.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the full potential of these neuroimaging modalities.
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