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From normal fear to pathological anxiety

J B Rosen1, J Schulkin

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, USA. jrosen@udel.edu

Psychological Review
|May 13, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Pathological anxiety arises from adaptive fear responses due to overactive fear circuits, particularly involving the amygdala. This heightened brain activity leads to exaggerated anxiety symptoms seen in anxiety disorders.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Fear responses are adaptive survival mechanisms triggered by danger.
  • These responses involve specific neural circuits, with the amygdala playing a key role.
  • Pathological anxiety represents an extreme, maladaptive form of these fear responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the transition from adaptive fear to pathological anxiety.
  • To elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders.
  • To understand the role of fear circuits in anxiety.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of fear and anxiety mechanisms.
  • Review of neurobiological processes involved in fear circuit activation.
  • Examination of sensitization and kindling-like processes in fear circuitry.

Main Results:

  • Pathological anxiety stems from hyperexcitability in fear circuits, including the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.
  • This hyperexcitability manifests as hypervigilance and heightened behavioral responses to threats.
  • Sensitization and kindling-like processes contribute to reduced activation thresholds in fear circuits.

Conclusions:

  • Pathological anxiety is an exaggerated fear state driven by hyperactive fear circuits.
  • The amygdala and extended amygdala are central to this hyperexcitability.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for addressing anxiety disorders.

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