Conference paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2018.479

ANXIETY DISORDERS – CLINICAL AND NEUROBIOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Theresa Lahousen ; Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapeutische Medizin, Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Austria
Hans-Peter Kapfhammer ; Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapeutische Medizin, Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Austria

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are considered among the most common psychiatric disorders in general population. They may be characterized by prominent subjective suffering, frequent chronic courses of illness, increased rates of comorbid other psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases, a distressing amount of psychosocial disabilities, in all, a challenging high burden of disease.
Anxiety disorders have principally to be conceptualized within a multifactorial biopsychosocial model. Various psychological and psychosocial approaches have contributed to a multi-layered understanding of various major predisposing, eliciting, and maintaining factors in the course of illness. Modern neurobiological research has significantly broadened and deepened the aetiopathogenetic complexity
of anxiety disorders. The main focus of this short review is on neural fear- and anxiety circuits, neurotransmitter systems, neuroendocrine and inflammatory stress systems, genetics and epigenetics that characterize the general basis of fear and anxiety regulation and their dysregulation in anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders may be effectively treated both by psychotherapeutic
and pharmacological approaches. Basic principles and general guidelines in the treatment of anxiety disorders are being presented.

Keywords

anxiety disorders; epidemiology; course of illness - psychology; neurobiology; fear-anxiety circuits; neurotransmitter; stress systems; genetics; epigenetics

Hrčak ID:

222241

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/222241

Publication date:

23.11.2018.

Article data in other languages: german

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