Anxiety disorders noradrenergic systems

Coupland, N, Glue, P and Nutt, DJ (1992) Challenge tests assessment of the noradrenergic and GABA systems in depression and anxiety disorders. Molec. Aspects Med. 13 221-247. 

Ressler KJ, Nemeroff CB (2000) Role of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems in the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorders. Depress Anxiety 12 2-19 Reul JMHM, Holsboer F (2002) Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors 1 and 2 in anxiety and depression. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2 23-33 Rex A, Marsden CA, Fink H (1993) 5-HTlA receptors and changes in extracellular 5-HT in the guinea-pigprefrontal cortex—involvementin aversive behaviour. J Psychopharmacol 7 338-345... 

Ressler, K.J. and Nemeroff, C.B. (2000) Role of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems in the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorders. Depress Anxiety 12(Suppl 1) 2—19. 

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the neurobiological basis of the anxiety disorders. It is generally accepted that the noradrenergic and serotonergic systems are causally involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Both the locus coeruleus and the dorsal raphe project to the... 

Noradrenergic model. This model suggests that the autonomic nervous system of anxious patients is hypersensitive and overreacts to various stimuli. The locus ceruleus may have a role in regulating anxiety, as it activates norepinephrine release and stimulates the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Chronic noradrenergic overactivity down regulates 02-adrenoreceptors in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) appear to have a hyperresponsive adrenocortical response to psychological stress. 

Evidence of noradrenergic involvement in panic disorder includes results from studies on the growth hormone axis, the cardiovascular system, and the homeostatic control of the noradrenergic axis. A review of these three areas is presented below. To illustrate the manner in which the environment may interact with the noradrenergic axis, the review of these three areas integrates research on panic disorder with research on children who may be at risk for panic disorder and with research on nonhuman primate models of human anxiety states. 

---