[Anxiety and the mechanisms of action of anxiolytics]

Anxiety disorders are widely present in general population. Epidemiology studies evaluated a 5-10% prevalence of these disorders, whose social impact needs an early diagnosis and an adequate treatment. In recent years, behavioural, neurochemical and pharmacological researches allowed the characterization of several types of pathological anxiety and a new consideration of nosography in order to establish a correct treatment. In particular, a remarkable progress of the knowledge of biological bases of anxiety resulted from study of anxiety animal models and of mechanisms of action of anxiolytic drugs. On this regard mechanism involving GABAergic, serotoninergic and cholecystokininergic were suggestive.