Anxiety D/O Flashcards
(90 cards)
primary neurotransmitter in fear
norepinephrine
primary neurotransmitter in anxiety
gamma-aminobutyric acid benzodiazepine system
what is anxiety
response to a threat that is unknown, vague, internal or a response to an indirect threat such as a loss of people or things that represent security
neural circuit of fear and anxiety
- a threatening stimulus is integrated into an image linked to a place and time
- activated memory traces of prior experiences
- incorporate the emotional tone of previous experience
- then trigger an appropriate response
the stimuli from the sensory system is transmitted to the thalamus to the amygdala
Short loop in fear and anxiety
- direct pathway from thalamus to amygdala
- emotional input is based on fragments of information and precedes conscious appraisal of the stimuli based on integrated perceptions of objects and events
- short loop jump starts the fear system and therefore it will process info arriving later with info from cortex
long loop
- sensory info is first processed in sensory cortex then to amygdala, hypothalamus, and brain stem that is involved in emotional behavioral and somatic responses to anxiety and fear
- long loop regulates the response of amygdala (whether to continue or stop response)
- amygdala gets info from short loop directly therefore anxiety may involve imbalance of the control over the long loop over the short loop
GAD criteria
has to last for atleast 6 months is accompanied by hyper vigilance and multiple somatic sx substantial impairment worry about every day things degree of worry is out of proportion
GAD epidemiology and etiology
- occurs in women more than men
- usually around age of 20
- associated with more psych co-morbidities
- fam hx; hx of abuse/trauma; a medical illness; smoking; seperated/divorces/widowed
- genetic 22-37%;
GAD theories
Frued (conflict between id/ego/superego); insecure attachment patterns; biological (structural abnormalities of occipital, basal ganglia, limbic system, hippocampus, brain stem, frtonal cortex); impairment of cognitive functioning (ppl will view ambiguous info as threatening or negative, pay more attention to potential threats, pessimistic)
GAD and co-morbidities
MDD; substance abuse; cluster c avoidant personality sx; OCD; IBS; HA
differential dx
- high level worriers: have more control over their worry than GAD, usually onset is after 35 and GAD is 20;
- med dx
GAD tx
- CBT: greatest effects are achieved after 6months of wkly therapy; long term effects maintained in half of pts; Good
- SSRIs SNRIs first line
a. Buspar-Sa1 agonist; effective in a lot of pts with GAD
BUT NOT IF THEY have been on BZD before
less effective in tx somatic but good at psychological sx
No antidepressant effect
first choice if hx of substance abuse; pulmonary disease;
those who operate heavy equipment - BZD effective in acute phase; strongest effect on hyper vigilance and somatic sx; less effective in relieving sx of dysphoria/depression; w/drawal sx;
- wellbutrin is NOT effective in GAD
- venlafaxine and duloxetine are approved for GAD and considered first line tx about 70% response rate; good with somatic sx;
- fluoxetine may increase anxiety but paroxetine and sertraline do not
- beta blockers good for palpitations, sweating tremors; performance anxiety take 2 hours before event
SAD definition
response to a threat to social status or reputation
fear of social performance or in social situation
SAD in children
associated with failing grade
in adolescents can see dropping out of school, not graduating, increased risk for alcohol abuse
SAD epidemiology and etiology
- more in women, those who have not married, and those who never completed high school
- western society may have fear of embarrassing self but in Japan more fear of offending others and AA fear of failing/evaluation
- pattern with first degree relatives; some genetic influence; infants with inhibited personality are at risk;
Theories of SAD
- developmental theories: parents who are distant and rejecting have children who are shy and socially w/drawn (maternal depression; nervousness and irritability) (insecure attachment patters or inhibited temperment lack opportunities and support to develop social skills)
- biological basis: high concentrations of carbon dioxide, caffeiene or cholecystokinin that stimulates release of cortisol and ACTH hormones, patients with SAD and panic disorders have more intense reactions to controls
SAD tx
- exposure therapy; CBT;
- for generalized SAD: SSRIs and SNRIs considered first line; venlafaxine is good;
- second line pharm: BZD, mirtazapine;
- NOT effective is bupropion and TCAs;
- combined therapy with pharm is best, pharm see improve faster and CBT is longer lasting
- non-generalized SAD: beta blockers like metropolis or atenolol and propranolol or BZD are first choice; decrease autonomic distress; take two hours before performance
- social skills training; relaxation techniques
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA receptor agonist
D-cycloserine
- ATB to tx TB
- has effects in brain and helps to overcome phobias
Panic disorder definition
manifestation of an underlying constitutional vulnerability for anxiety, probably a genetic vulnerability; expressed in panic attacks that are key feature; presence of attacks occur frequently and with some regularity; impair social and occupational functioning;
sx: can’t catch their breath, dizzy light headed or faint; feel like they are about to die; events act as triggers
characteristic of panic attack
sudden onset of intense fear
feeling of terror, sense of doom
palpitations, pounding heart, sweating, nausea, dizzy, light headed
fear of dying, fear of loosing control, going crazy
derealization (things aren’t real)
depersonalization (feel that one is detached)
last about 5-20 minutes
occur with or without agroaphobia
panic d/o epidemiology and etiology
occur more often in women
women more likely to have agoraphobia with it
men more likely to use alcohol
more common in never married ppl, less in those who completed college
child hood of SAD
genetics first degree high
panic d/o theories
developmental theories: behavioral inhibition, an attribute to genetically influenced temperament, may be defined as an increased state of arousal and inhibition of behavior in the face of new, unfamiliar or challenges; inhibited temperament (colic in infant, irritability, shyness, fearfulness, constrict behavior in new situations; higher heart rate; agoraphobia; fear of separation like in children is linked to social phobia)
attachment theory: controlling domineering parent; quarrels and violent behavior between parents; threats of abandoment of child or being rejected for being bad; over protective parents
biological: abnormalities in structure (amygdala); carbon dioxide hypersensitivity (dysregulated respiratory control; irregular breathing)
chemical basis/serotonergic dysregulation: important areas lacking serotonin
Stages of panic d/o
stage 1 sub-panic stage: tachycardia, light headedness; SOB
2 panic attacks start with fear of loss of control, freezing, or flight
3 hypochondriasis; pt fears panic sx are related to physical illness
4 anticipatory anxiety for future attacks
5 phobic avoidance
-may become depressed, abuse alcohol; impair relationships, social, occupational, SI
panic d/o co-morbidities
medical: hypothyroidism, cardiac px, resp px, chronic fatigue syndrome; joint hyper mobility and mitral valve prolapse (mitral valve prolapse increased in those with joint hyper mobility and panic d/o)
psychiatric: MDD, SAD, GAD, PTSD, OCD, alcohol abuse; increased risk SI