1: Neurobiology of Anxiety Disease

Question 1

A neurotransmitter that mediates inhibition in the brain

Answer 1

GABA

Question 2

Anxiety disorders are linked to dysfunctional __________ signaling in the brain

Answer 2

GABAergic

Question 3

Processes fear and response to threats; dysfunctional in individuals with anxiety disorders

Answer 3

Brain circuits

Question 4

Consists of the brain + spinal cord

Answer 4

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Question 5

Spinal nerves that transmit motor and sensory signals between cells in the brain, spinal cord, and body

Answer 5

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Question 6

Consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla

Answer 6

Brainstem

Question 7

Part of the brain that controls motor coordination, speech recognition, posture maintenance, and sensorimotor signaling processing

Answer 7

Cerebellum

Question 8

A bridge of white matter that connects the right and left hemispheres of the cerebrum

Answer 8

Corpus Callosum

Question 9

Comprises the bulk of the brain; right and left hemisphere

Answer 9

Cerebrum

Question 10

The lobe that processes information about taste, touch, temperature, movement, language

Answer 10

Parietal Lobe

Question 11

The lobe that mediates higher-level thought processes and voluntary movement

Answer 11

Frontal Lobe

Question 12

The lobe that contains the primary site of visual processing

Answer 12

Occipital Lobe

Question 13

The lobe that contains the limbic system and regulates memory formation and emotional processes (includes Hippocampus and Amygdala)

Answer 13

Temporal Lobe

Question 14

Relays incoming sensory information to sensory processing areas of the brain

Answer 14

Thalamus

Question 15

Mediates hormone signaling, autonomic functions and brain homeostasis

Answer 15

Hypothalamus

Question 16

Contains the Thalamus and Hypothalamus

Answer 16

Diencephalon

Question 17

The pathway that mediates physical response to stress

Answer 17

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis

Question 18

An electrically excitable cell that transmits information to other cells

Answer 18

Neuron

Question 19

Part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and basic machinery that cells require in order to function

Answer 19

Soma

Question 20

A projection from the soma that acts as a receptor

Answer 20

Dendrite

Question 21

Cylindrical structure that carries outgoing - efferent - signals from soma to other neurons

Answer 21

Axon

Question 22

The concentration of different ions on either side of the cell membrane that maintains the cell’s overall charge

Answer 22

Membrane Potential

Question 23

Electrical signal that transmits messages between brain cells. Voltage-gated ion channels open and close, allowing ions to flow in-out of cell

Answer 23

Action Potential

Question 24

Connection point between 2 neurons; enables transmission of electrical signal between cells

Answer 24

Synapse

Question 25

Chemical signaling molecules that allow neurons to communicate

Answer 25

Neurotransmitters

Question 26

Synaptic receptors that bind and are activated by neurotransmitters

Answer 26

Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs)

Question 27

The main excitatory neurotransmitter

Answer 27

Glutamate

Question 28

Allow positively charged ions to enter the cell; promotes action potential firing

Answer 28

Glutamate receptors

Question 29

Receptors that allow Cl- ions to flow into the postsynaptic cell, resulting in the difficulty of an action potential firing

Answer 29

GABAa

Question 30

Neuromodulatory neurotransmitters

Answer 30

- Dopamine - Serotonin - Norephinephrine

Question 31

Neuromodulator functions

Answer 31

- Social cooperation - Attention - Decision-making - Goal-directed behavior

Question 32

____ % of the population fulfill the diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorder; prevalence highest in people aged 18-25 yrs

Answer 32

14%

Question 33

Individuals with GAD, ____% of cases may be inhertied, and as many as ____ % of SAD and PD are potentially genetically linked

Answer 33

35%, 50%

Question 34

Individuals with anxiety disorders "_____ _____" to perceived threats and have a heightened stress response overall

Answer 34

overly attend

Question 35

Age group in which anxiety disorders are most prevalent

Answer 35

18-25 yrs

Question 36

The amygdala is often ______ in patients with anxiety

Answer 36

Overactive

Question 37

Subtype: Anxiety of social situations

Answer 37

SAD

Question 38

Subtype: Recurrent unexpected panic attacks

Answer 38

PD

Question 39

Subtype: Worry that is out of proportion d/t the likelihood of an anticipated event

Answer 39

GAD