Biologically speaking, what causes anxiety?

Question

What region of the brain causes a person to feel anxiety?

Paul

Answer 1

Several different parts of the brain contribute to feelings of anxiety, the sensory area which resides in the cerebral cortex or the gray matter of the brain provides the initial stimulus. The hearing area or near the pineal body, and mostly through the intellect, learning, and personality area, or the frontal lobe and part of the hypothalamus. Then there is the vision area where one senses oncoming threats - along the occipital lobe. And the motor area below the gyrus ridge and above and along the corpus collosum.

Answer 2

There is no specific region of the brain that is responsible for anxiety. Some recent studies indicate that people with a smaller ventromedial prefrontal cortex may be more prone to anxiety. Anxiety is a process which is derived from memories, stimuli and emotion which all have various sources around the brain. However, the part of the brain that is responsible for emotion is the limbic system.

This is sort of in the center of the brain. It has sub-parts such as the Hypothalamus the power-house for producing and releasing hormones. It affects and regulates blood pressure, heart rate, hunger, thirst, sexual arousal, and the sleep/wake cycle. The Amygdala could be a major factor in anxiety because it is the source of fear and aggression.

The source of anxiety could take place in the orbitofrontal cortex, a structure responsible for cognitive processes such as decision making, the value of reinforcers and expectation. People with Obsessive compulsion disorder may find there culprit here. OCD is an anxiety disorder. The expectations of a person with anxiety are way off track.

The process of anxiety itself, could take place in the nucleus accumbens a structure in the limbic system packed full of neurons. It is involved in reward, addiction, and pleasure within the brain. One of these neurons is responsible for producing the neurotransmitter GABA. Whenever GABA is in short supply you will find people with anxiety. Most medications for anxiety increase the release of this chemical to create a calming effect or relief of the anxiety. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that work to increase GABA.

Answer 3

This emergency reaction is regulated by a part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system, or ANS. The ANS is controlled by the hypothalamus, a specialized part of the brainstem that is among a group of structures called the limbic system. The limbic system controls human emotions through its connections to glands and muscles; it also connects to the ANS and "higher" brain centers, such as parts of the cerebral cortex. One problem with this arrangement is that the limbic system cannot tell the difference between a realistic physical threat and an anxiety-producing thought or idea. The hypothalamus may trigger the release of stress hormones by the pituitary gland, even when there is no external and objective danger. A second problem is caused by the biochemical side effects of too many "false alarms" in the ANS. When a person responds to a real danger, his or her body gets rid of the stress hormones by running away or by fighting. In modern life, however, people often have fight-or-flight reactions in situations in which they can neither run away nor lash out physically. As a result, their bodies have to absorb all the biochemical changes of hyperarousal, rather than release them. These biochemical changes can produce anxious feelings, as well as muscle tension and other physical symptoms associated with anxiety. They may even produce permanent changes in the brain, if the process occurs repeatedly. Moreover, chronic physical disorders, such as coronary artery disease, may be worsened by anxiety, as chronic hyperarousal puts undue stress on the heart, stomach, and other organs.

Answer 4

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain that regulate a person’s thoughts and feelings. Sometimes there is a problem with the way the brain’s messages are being sent due to a chemical imbalance. Two of the primary neurotransmitters that affect a person’s feelings are serotonin and dopamine. When there is an imbalance of these chemicals, a person can feel depressed or anxious.

Answer 5

Mental illness only causes death if the person commits suicide. So in that sense, it can cause death, but not in a physical way like cancer. People with this illness can have different symptoms depending on the type they have. My stepbrother's mother has paranoid schizophrenia and she thinks that there is poison in her tooth paste. Most people with this illness can talk normally. Sometimes, with medication, they can go for long periods of remission and live a normal life for a while. Sometimes the person hears voices or sees things that aren't there, or just has very paranoid thoughts or believes false things. When not in a schizophrenic episode or when their medication works, they can be just like a normal person.

Answer 6

It usually means that the serotonin levels in your brain are off and you feel anxiety. Maybe you should see your doctor to see if you need a medication for anxiety.

Answer 7

Basicially it the action of norepinephrine - a neurotransmitter that has stimulant affects. This causes the rapid heart beat, shakiness, and feeling that your mind is racing. There are many factors, but norepinephrine, part of the adrenergic nervous system, is a key mediator.

Answer 8

Seritonin

Answer 9

The amygdala in the limbic system in the brain.