Whats in a brain: Neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of anxiety disorders in dogs

Abstract

This review deals with the neurocircuitry of fear and anxiety disorders, with the focus on neuroanatomy and neurochemistry. This knowledge is required to correctly diagnose and treat dogs with anxiety-related behavioral disorders. Research to date has shown the involvement of the frontal cortex, the amygdala, the thalamus and the hippocampus as core regions in regulating fear. Imbalances (hyper- or hypoactivation) in this fear circuitry can trigger inappropriate fear responses, i.e. anxiety disorders. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are the main neurotransmitters of emotion in the brain, but gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis producing glucocorticoids are also important in the neurochemistry of anxiety.