8 Anxiety

Question 1

Fear is___?

Answer 1

An emotional response to real or perceived threat

Question 2

What are the 4 ways in which fear can manifest?

Answer 2

Physiological, psychological, cognitive, behavioural

Question 3

Anxiety is___?

Answer 3

The anticipation of a future threat

Question 4

What two main components is anxiety made up of?

Answer 4

Fear and worry

Question 5

What are three types of anxiety disorders?

Answer 5

Separation anxiety, selective mutism, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalised anxiety disorder

Question 6

What is the lifetime prevalence of anxiety?

Answer 6

28.8%

Question 7

What is the male to female ratio of anxiety disorder?

Answer 7

1:2

Question 8

What are the three elements int he cycle of panic disorder?

Answer 8

Change in bodily sensations, catastrophic misinterpretation, fear and anxiety

Question 9

What are three risk factors for anxiety disorder?

Answer 9

Gene*Environment interactions / neuroticism / childhood experiences / smoking / sexual dimorphism

Question 10

What neurotransmitter is mainly involved in anxiety?

Answer 10

COMT

Question 11

What are the two different alleles for COMT?

Answer 11

Met and Val

Question 12

What does the Met allele have more of and less of?

Answer 12

Low COMT activity, more dopamine = worrier

Question 13

What does the Val allele have more of and less of?

Answer 13

High COMT activity, less dopamine = warrior

Question 14

What are the differences in sexes, in terms of COMT?

Answer 14

Women are more likely to carry the Met allele

Question 15

What two main area’s of the brain show atypical activity in anxiety disorder?

Answer 15

Frontal cortex and the amygdala

Question 16

What is different about the hippocampus in anxiety patients and control patients?

Answer 16

Reduced hippocampus volume in patients with anxiety

Question 17

How important is the BDNF genotype in anxiety?

Answer 17

It is not important

Question 18

What circuits are linked to fear?

Answer 18

Amygdala centred circuits

Question 19

What circuits are linked to worry?

Answer 19

Cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuits

Question 20

What are the 6 stages in the fear mechanisms?

Answer 20

See fearful stimulus - stimulates amygdala - talks to limbic system - fearful response - activates hippocampus - remembering fearful context

Question 21

What 3 area’s of the brain are involved in worrying?

Answer 21

DLPFC, striatum and thalamus

Question 22

What are the 4 types of fear responses?

Answer 22

Endocrine, autonomic, motor and respiratory

Question 23

What area of the brain does endocrine fear influence?

Answer 23

HPA axis

Question 24

What area of the brain does autonomic fear influence?

Answer 24

Locus Coeruleus

Question 25

What area of the brain does motor fear influence?

Answer 25

Pariaqueductal

Question 26

What area of the brain does respiratory fear influence?

Answer 26

Parabrachial

Question 27

When anxious, what part of the HPA axis increases in activity?

Answer 27

Amygdala

Question 28

When anxious, what part of the HPA axis decreases in activity?

Answer 28

Hipocampus and PFC

Question 29

Give two examples of animal studies which are used in anxiety?

Answer 29

Elevated plus maze and open field test

Question 30

What type of neurotransmitter is GABA?

Answer 30

Inhibitory

Question 31

What are the three main types of GABA?

Answer 31

GABAa, GABAb, GABAc

Question 32

Which receptor do anti anxiety drugs bind to?

Answer 32

GABAa

Question 33

Which GABAa subunit is linked to anti anxiety when Benzodiazepine is blinded to it?

Answer 33

A2

Question 34

What type of agonist are Benzodiazepines?

Answer 34

Allosteric agonists

Question 35

How does an allosteric agonist work?

Answer 35

The opening of the channel to let Cl in is enhanced, when the drug binds to the receptor

Question 36

Why re older drugs, such as barbiturates, dangerous?

Answer 36

They don't need to bind to open the channel / can open it on its own

Question 37

An increase in GABA leads to?

Answer 37

More inhibition

Question 38

How do GABAergic drugs work?

Answer 38

Inhibit the amygdala to tackle the fear response

Question 39

What do inhibitory effects of GABA lead to?

Answer 39

Disinhibition

Question 40

In anxiety, is the noradrenergic system hypo or hyper active?

Answer 40

Hyperactive

Question 41

What are three clinical features of PTSD?

Answer 41

Re-experiencing, avoidance, arousal

Question 42

What are the 6 stages of Horowitz's theory?

Answer 42

Traumatic event - crying or stunned - information overload - intrusion and avoidance - successful ro incomplete resolution

Question 43

What can be a protective factor in PTSD?

Answer 43

Social support

Question 44

What does the emotional Stroop task test for?

Answer 44

Cognitive biases

Question 45

What do neuroimaging studies show in patients with PTSD?

Answer 45

Decreased amygdala and hippocampus volume

Question 46

What are the different responses from brain structures in patients with PTSD?

Answer 46

Increased amygdala response / decreased hippocampus response

Question 47

What area of the brain is hypersensitive in PTSD?

Answer 47

HPA axis

Question 48

How does extinction work as a form of treatment in PTSD?

Answer 48

Reverse condiitoning / new learning takes place

Question 49

What can Beta Blockers do in PTSD?

Answer 49

Disrupts reconsolidation