American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 181(12), P. 1059 - 1075
Published: Dec. 1, 2024
Anxiety disorders are a leading source of human misery, morbidity, and premature mortality. Existing treatments far from curative for many, underscoring the need to clarify underlying neural mechanisms. Although many brain regions contribute, amygdala has received most intense scientific attention. Over past several decades, this scrutiny yielded detailed understanding function, but it failed produce new clinical assays, biomarkers, or cures. Rising urgent public health challenge demands an honest reckoning with functional-neuroanatomical complexity shift theories anchored on "the amygdala" models centered specific nuclei cell types. This review begins by examining evidence studies rodents, monkeys, humans "canonical model," idea that plays central role in fear- anxiety-related states, traits, disorders. Next, authors selectively highlight work indicating canonical model, while true, is overly simplistic fails adequately capture actual state evidentiary record, breadth amygdala-associated functions illnesses, amygdala's functional architecture. The describe implications these facts basic neuroimaging research. concludes some general recommendations grappling accelerating efforts understand more effectively treat amygdala-related psychopathology.
Language: Английский
