PSYC62H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Orbitofrontal Cortex
Document Summary
Dsm definitions of anxiety disorders: anxiety disorders are classified as: May feel constantly worried or subsequently exhausted and may overgeneralize various perceived physical ailments: anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and may develop as a result of both environmental and genetic factors. Referred as the short route: second pathway: the thalamo-cortical-amygdala pathway sends sensory information to the amygdala after processing in the cerebral cortex. Referred as the long route: the hippocampus sends information on the context surrounding the stimulus to the amygdala. Inputs to the amygdala from the prefrontal cortex act to reduce amygdala activity, resulting in an inhibited reaction to fearful stimuli. Stress and the hpa axis: we consider our reactions to short- and long-term stress according to the general adaptation syndrome, the general adaptation syndrome is a stress syndrome occurring in three progressive phases; (1) alarm: increased physiological arousal in preparation for an emergency situation. (2) resistance: sustained level of physiological arousal.
