Brain reveals signs of anxiety even in secure settings
In a pioneering study, researchers have discovered notable brain activity disparities in individuals grappling with anxiety disorders, offering fresh insights into these complex conditions. The research, published in Communications Biology, was spearheaded by Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester, and Monique Ernst, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
The study involved volunteers navigating a virtual reality game, where half of the meadow had flowers without bees, and the other half had flowers with bees that could sting them. Despite all participants being able to discern between the safe and dangerous areas, those with general and social anxiety exhibited heightened insula and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex activation, suggesting their brain associated a known safe area with danger or threat.
This is the first time discrimination learning has been examined in this manner in a complex 'real-world-like' environment. The findings underscore the need for treatments that focus on helping patients regain control over their anxiety.
Interestingly, sweat responses, a proxy for anxiety, did not reveal any clear differences, indicating that the brain differences were the only differences observed in these patients.
The research was supported by the NIMH Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, the Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom. Co-authors include researchers from the NIMH and University College London.
Suarez-Jimenez's research centers on understanding the neural mechanisms of how the brain learns about the environment, particularly predicting threats and safety. The goal of the research is to understand how people build maps in the brain based on experience, and the role of those maps in psychopathologies of stress and anxiety.
The study's findings suggest that anxiety disorders might be more than a lack of awareness of the environment or ignorance of safety, but rather that individuals struggling with anxiety cannot control their feelings and behavior even if they wanted to. Understanding the differences and similarities across disorders characterized by deficits in behavioral regulation and feelings in safe environments can help create more personalized treatment options.
For future research, it is crucial to clarify if the findings in the brain of patients with anxiety are also present in other disorders, such as PTSD. The research explores neural signatures of anxiety disorders and PTSD using virtual reality environments.
In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the brain activity of individuals with anxiety disorders, paving the way for the development of more effective treatments.
