Anxiety Flashcards

1
Q

What is Fear?

A

An immediate alarm to present danger, characterized by a strong motivation to escape

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2
Q

What is Anxiety?

A

A mood state arising from the expectation of a future threat that is perceived as uncontrollable or unavoidable

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3
Q

Fear activates the ______ axis to bring about the fight-or-flight resposnse

A

SAM - Sympatho-Adreno-Medullary

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4
Q

What is characterized as a chronic mood state and cognitive process which is a response to a perceived future threat ?

A

Anxiety

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5
Q

what is characterized as a brief, automatic, emotional response to a imminent threat which results in intense autonomic arousal as a survival instinct ?

A

Fear

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6
Q

_______ is a normal and appropriate reaction to stressful situations

A

Anxiety

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7
Q

Anxiety _______ are when anxious feelings become so frequent or intense that they begin to take over an individuals life

A

Disorders

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8
Q

Individuals with anxiety disorders are at high risk of committing _____

A

Suicide

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9
Q

What are anxiety disorders most commonly comorbid with?

A

Depression

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10
Q

What is a panic attack?

A

An abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort

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11
Q

What can most physical symptoms of panic attacks be attributed to?

A

Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System

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12
Q

What is a panic disorder?

A

An anxiety attack in which panic attacks occur repeatedly without warning or a clear relation to external stimuli

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13
Q

What is it called when someone dreads the possibility of a future panic attack, which can lead to withdrawal from society and even cause more panic attacks?

A

Anticipatory Anxiety

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14
Q

What is a Phobia?

A

Anxiety disorder characterized by panic attacks directed at a specific object or situation

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15
Q

What is the most common anxiety disorder?

A

Phobia

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16
Q

What is social phobia?

A

Fear of being involved in society

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17
Q

What Agoraphobia?

A

Fear of being in public spaces

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18
Q

How doe most people attempt to control their phobias?

A

By avoiding triggering objects or situations

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19
Q

What area of the brain is responsible for emotional and motivated behaviours and becomes activated in times of fear?

A

Amygdala

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20
Q

What structure does the amygdala output to and what this structure regulate?

A
Hypothalamus 
Stress response (SAM and HPA)
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21
Q

The amygdala’s fast response to a stimulus occurs via the _________ and happens before we even know what it is we are afraid of

A

Thalamus

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22
Q

The amygdala’s slow response occurs as input from a fearful stimulus is relayed from the _______ to the _______ where it is processed, allowing you to identify the threat and response accordingly

A

Thalamus

Cortex

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23
Q

The _____ is our conscious control over anxiety and is involved in the final stages of reacting to danger by planning course of action required to address the situation

A

PFC

24
Q

Brain image studies on individuals with panic disorders reveal increased activation in the ___________ and ___________

A

Cingulate Cortex and Parahippocampal Gryus

25
Q

What functions are the Cingulate Cortex and Parahippocampal Gyrus involved in?

A

Learning and Memory - particularly avoidance and fear learning

26
Q

Brain image studies on individuals with panic disorders often show hypersensitivity in the ___________

A

Amygdala

27
Q

What is hypersensitivity in the Amygdala tied with?

A

Enhanced response to anxiety-provoking stimuli

28
Q

Brain image studies on individuals with panic disorders often reveal decreased activity in the ___________

A

PFC

29
Q

What does loss of activity in the PFC during panic attacks explain?

A

Confusion
Disorientation
Aggressive Behaviour

30
Q

Overall excessive excitatory _______ may enhance anxiety

A

Neurotransmission

31
Q

What is exposure therapy?

A

An effective treatment for phobias which involves exposing patient to fear in small graduated increments in a safe and reassuring setting

32
Q

What is the basis for Exposure Therapy?

A

Extinction

33
Q

What is Extinction?

A

A process through which a stimulus that initially triggered a fear response gradually loses this effect as the trigger/reaction association is unlearned

34
Q

Increased ________ through Exposure Therapy involves reduced reaction with repeated exposure to the trigger

A

Habituation

35
Q

Increased _________ through Exposure Therapy involves increased belief in one’s ability to manage their emotional responses

A

Self-Efficacy

36
Q

Increased ______ _______ through exposure Therapy involves becoming more comfortable with experiencing fear and learning to attach belief’s to the fear

A

Emotional Processing

37
Q

What is characterized by persistently high levels of anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months

A

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

38
Q

What are common Psychological symptoms of GAD?

A

Feelings of fear, uneasiness, or worry
Problems concentrating
Rumination
Irritable

39
Q

What are common Physiological symptoms of GAD?

A

Restlessness
Muscular Tension
Fatigue
Disturbed sleep

40
Q

Expression of ______ receptors, which allow for sensing stress hormones, are altered in individuals with anxiety

A

Glucocorticoid

41
Q

Individuals with GAD display reduced responsiveness to ____________ activation

A

Sympathetic Nervous System

42
Q

Worry appears to increase _______ activation

A

Parasympathetic Nervous System

43
Q

Individuals with GAD show increased activation of the _____ lobes in response to stressful stimuli and the _______ in anticipation of it

A

Frontal

Amygdala

44
Q

GAD is an _____ based disorder which leads to increased ______ activity and reduced ______ activity

A

Anxiety
PFC
Sympathetic NS

45
Q

Panic Disorder is a _____ based disorder which leads to decreased ______ activity and increased _______ and _______ activity (during panic attack)

A

Fear
PFC
Limbic
Sympathetic NS

46
Q

What is the most effective form of psychotherapy for treating Anxiety disorders?

A

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

47
Q

What are drugs used to treat anxiety called?

A

Anxiolytics

48
Q

Since excessive excitatory ______ is thought to enhance anxiety, most drugs to treat it increase ______ signalling

A

Neurotransmission

Inhibitory

49
Q

What is the principal inhibitory NT in the brain?

A

GABA

50
Q

What are two examples of Sedative Hypnotics?

A

Barbiturates

Alcohol

51
Q

Which drug maximizes pore opening in the presence of GABA leading to hyperpolarization of the cell and suppression of neurotransmission?

A

Barbiturates

52
Q

What are three examples of Benzodiazepines?

A

Xanax, Valium, Ativan

53
Q

Which drug is a GABA receptor agonist which increases frequency of pore opening when GABA is present thereby increasing inhibitory signalling?

A

Benzodiazepines

54
Q

What is an example of a SSRI?

A

Prozac

55
Q

Which drug prevents serotonin reuptake leading to increased serotonin in the synapse?

A

SSRI