Are anxiety disorders all in the mind?

“Although there are no direct implications for treatment as a result of this study yet, it is another piece of evidence showing biological abnormalities, which may lead to new therapeutic approaches and insight into the origins of the disorder,” said Dr. van der Wee.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, social anxiety disorder affects approximately 15 million American adults and is the third most common mental disorder in the United States, after depression and alcohol dependence. The essential feature of the disorder is the fear of being evaluated by others, with the expectation that such an assessment will be negative and embarrassing. It tends to run a chronic and unremitting course and often leads to the development of alcoholism and depression. The disorder most often surfaces in adolescence or early adulthood, but it can occur at any time, including childhood.

Co-authors of “Increased Serotonin and Dopamine Transporter Binding in Psychotropic Medication-Naïve Patients With Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder Shown by 123-I-β-(4-Iodophenyl)-Tropane SPECT” include J. Frederieke van Veen, Irene M. van Vliet, Herman G. Westenberg, Department of Psychiatry; and Henk Stevens, Peter P. van Rijk, Department of Nuclear Medicine, all from the Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

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