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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Evidence for serotonin function as a neurochemical difference between fear and anxiety disorders in humans?

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Author(s):
Corchs, Felipe [1] ; Nutt, David J. [2] ; Hince, Dana A. [3] ; Davies, Simon J. C. [4] ; Bernik, Marcio [1] ; Hood, Sean D. [3]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst & Dept Psychiat, Sch Med, BR-05430903 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ London Imperial Coll Sci Technol & Med, Div Expt Med, Neuropsychopharmacol Unit, London - England
[3] Univ Western Australia, Sch Psychiat & Clin Neurosci M521, Perth, WA 6009 - Australia
[4] Univ Toronto, Ctr Addict & Mental Hlth, Toronto, ON - Canada
Total Affiliations: 4
Document type: Journal article
Source: JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY; v. 29, n. 10, p. 1061-1069, OCT 2015.
Web of Science Citations: 9
Abstract

The relationships between serotonin and fear and anxiety disorders have been much studied yet many important questions remain, despite selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors having been the primary treatments for these disorders for some time. In order to explore this issue we performed a pooled analysis of six of our studies in remitted patients with a fear/anxiety disorder who were exposed to syndrome-specific aversive stimulation under acute tryptophan depletion. We based our analysis on the hypothesis that the inconsistencies observed in the studies could be predicted by Deakin and Graeff's theory about the dual role of serotonin in responses to threats, whereby serotonin is critical to prevent fear (panic) but not anxiety. In accordance with this view, our results give support to a dissociation of the disorders traditionally grouped under fear and anxiety-related disorders in terms of different roles of serotonin in modulation of responses to aversive stimulation. Implications for future studies and psychiatric nosology are discussed. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 08/04122-5 - Research on the induction of symptoms in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder remitted on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors trough acute tryptophan depletion
Grantee:Márcio Antonini Bernik
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants