Anxiety disorders pathophysiology

Describe pathophysiologic findings in generalized anxiety, panic, and social anxiety disorder patients. 

Reprinted, with permission, from Kirkwood CK, Melton ST. Anxiety disorders I. Generalized anxiety, panic, and social anxiety disorders. In DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, et al, (eds.) Pharmacotherapy A Pathophysiologic Approach. 6th ed. New York McGraw Hill 2005 1294. 

Charney, D. S. and Deutch, A. A functional neuroanatomy of anxiety and fear implications for pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. Crit. Rev. Neurobiol. 10 419 46,1996. 

Director Mood Anxiety Disorders Program Chief, Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology National Institute of Mental Health National Institutes of Health Building 1, Room 3B310,1 Center Drive Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0135... 

Nemeroff CB. The role of GABA in the pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. Psychopharmacol Bull 2003 37 133-146. 

Du J, Szabo ST, Gray NA, Manji HK, Focus on CaMKll A molecular switch in the pathophysiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, Int JNeu-ropsychopharmacol7. 24i—2Adi, 2004. 

Coplan JD, Andrewa MW, Rosenblum LA, Owens MJ, Freidman S, Gorman JM, Nemeroff CB (1996) Persistent elevations of cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of corticotropinreleasing factor in adult nonhuman primates exposed to early-life stressors implications for the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93 1619-... 

Stress is thought to be an important factor in the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorders. It seems possible that the reduced stress reactivity of NKl receptor- and tael-deficient mice has contributed to the behavioral phenotypes observed in the animal models of anxiety and depression. 

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... 

Pharmacology has provided powerful tools to characterize the neurochemical pathways of stress and anxiety in the brain, and how these pathways are involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. In the past, this work has largely focused on classical neurotransmitter systems, including the synthesis, release, and metabolism of monoamines and receptor subtypes that control presynaptic release of neurotransmitters and their postsynaptic effects. Increasing the specihcity of drugs but also the combination of mechanisms has been pursued to improve anxiolytic drugs. 

New drug targets have been generated by characterizing the importance of hormones and second messenger systems in the pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. Neuropeptides and neuroactive steroids are at least in part synthesized and released in the brain independent from their peripheral activity. 

The interactions between CRH and 5-HT and the implications for the aetiology and treatment of anxiety disorders are reviewed by A.C.E. Linthorst. A. Neumeister, R.J. Daher and D.S. Charney focus on the central role of noradrenergic neurotransmission for fear, anxiety and consequently the development and treatment of anxiety disorders. H. Mbhler, K. Vogt, E Crestani and U. Rudolph review the pathophysiology and pharmacology of the y-... 

Pine, D.S. (1999). Pathophysiology of childhood anxiety disorders. Biol Psychiatry 46 1555-1566. 

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. 

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