Mapping anxiety in the brain

Mapping anxiety in the brain


Do you have a tendency to feel anxious, or know someone who’s the family worrywart? Some people feel emotions like nervousness or dread more than others. After all, everyone’s wired a little differently. When it comes to anxiety, however, that wiring may be literal.

A study in Italy found people who experience short-term or chronic anxiety possess brains that work, and are built, differently.

Typically, anxiety can be separated into two types. One is episodic and event-specific, known as state anxiety. The other is more consistent, called trait anxiety. Those in the study who experienced the latter were found to have permanent anatomical differences in the brain, especially in locations responsible for regulating what and how we feel.

A significant amount of activity was also seen in an area of the brain that perks up when the mind is idle, or daydreaming. This area is also used when people engage in rumination and worry.

One of the ways in which researchers recommend quieting the busy area is through meditation, emphasizing the importance of learning to ease feelings of anxiety before they become severe or chronic.

According to the study, a better understanding of the different kinds of anxiety and their brain location can lead to improved methods of treatment for the most prevalent form of mental illness across the country.

For now, researchers underline the importance of treating state anxiety before it becomes trait anxiety. They also urge caregivers to remind people that treatments like mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy can lessen feelings of anxiety and help prevent the brain from forming an unwanted habit.

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