Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
7.6K
Neurocognition and Metacognition in Anxiety Disorders
Ashwini Vishwanathan1, Himani Kashyap1, Rajakumari P Reddy1
1Dept. of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
|November 7, 2022
Summary
Individuals with anxiety disorders exhibit neurocognitive deficits in planning and memory, alongside impaired metacognition. Cognitive self-consciousness may improve planning abilities in anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Anxiety disorders (ADs) are associated with neurocognitive deficits, but findings are inconsistent.
- The interplay between neurocognition and metacognition in ADs is not well understood.
- This study investigates the relationship between neurocognition and metacognition in individuals with ADs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between neurocognitive functioning and metacognitive abilities in anxiety disorders.
- To identify specific neurocognitive deficits and metacognitive dysfunctions in ADs.
- To explore potential links between cognitive self-consciousness and planning abilities.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing 25 individuals with ADs and 25 matched non-clinical controls.
- Neurocognitive assessment included tests of intelligence, attention, working memory, fluency, flexibility, set-shifting, inhibition, planning, and memory.
- Metacognition was evaluated using the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) and Metacognitive Awareness and Regulation Scale (MARS).
Main Results:
- The anxiety group demonstrated poorer performance in planning (zoo map test), set-shifting (rule shift cards), and logical memory (immediate and delayed recall).
- Individuals with ADs exhibited greater negative beliefs about worry and poorer metacognitive awareness and regulation.
- Higher cognitive self-consciousness correlated with better planning abilities (Spearman's rho = -0.509, P = 0.009).
Conclusions:
- Anxiety disorders are characterized by neurocognitive impairments in planning, set-shifting, and memory, alongside dysfunctional metacognition.
- Reduced metacognitive awareness and regulation are evident in individuals with ADs.
- Understanding the neurocognition-metacognition link may inform targeted cognitive interventions for anxiety disorders.
More Related Videos
09:14Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
312
14:40Optogenetic Manipulation of Neuronal Activity to Modulate Behavior in Freely Moving Mice
Published on: October 27, 2020
18.5K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Metacognition
260
Metacognition is a conscious process where individuals are aware of their cognitive and executive processes, such as planning before solving a problem or self-monitoring during reading. For instance, a writer may need help with composing a piece. The situation involves a writer who is working on a piece of writing, but while doing so, they realize that something is missing. They notice that their characters lack depth or details. This realization occurs because the writer is reflecting on their...
260
01:18Anxiety: Overview
337
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
337
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
70
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
70
01:25Beck's Cognitive Therapy
98
Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
98
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
184
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
184
01:25Cognitive Therapy
213
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
213