Anxiety disorders

Abstract

The anxiety disorders involve dysfunctional brain processes that offer prime targets for molecular therapeutics borne from neu-roscience research. First, a brief historical overview of existing therapeutic agents for anxiety disorders is provided, and phenom-enological descriptions of the major anxiety disorders are summarized. Next, brain circuitry relevant to the anxiety disorders is described, emphasizing the findings of neuroscience research on stress and conditioned fear. Molecular targets in the brain's neuro-peptide and amino acid transmitter systems are then detailed, and plausible future targets are discussed. This chapter is intended to impart some of the exciting translational research advances and drug development in the anxiety disorders. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.