The latest news about panic and anxiety

Good morning, keep up to date with these items on panic attacks and anxiety disorder.

Low Levels Of Neurotransmitter Serotonin May Perpetuate Child Abuse Across Generations
Infant abuse may be perpetuated between generations by changes in the brain induced by early experience, research shows. A research team found that when baby rhesus monkeys endured high rates of maternal rejection and mild abuse in their first month of life, their brains often produced less serotonin, a chemical that transmits impulses in the brain. Low levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety and depression and impulsive aggression in both humans and monkeys. (Read More)

SRI Medication Effective In Treating Compulsive Hoarding Patients
In a paper published online in advance of publication in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, Sanjaya Saxena, M.D., director of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Program at UCSD School of Medicine, reports the surprising finding that the serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication, paroxetine, is effective in treating patients with compulsive hoarding syndrome. (Read More)

Anxiety Sensitivity Linked To Future Psychological Disorders In FSU Study
People who get scared when they experience a pounding heart, sweaty palms or dizziness — even if the cause is something as mundane as stress, exercise or caffeine — are more likely to develop a clinical case of anxiety or panic disorder, according to a Florida State University researcher in Tallahassee, Fla.While other researchers have proposed a connection between this so-called "anxiety sensitivity" and a range of anxiety problems, the study by FSU psychology professors N. [click link for full article] (Read More)

Children With Higher Intelligence Appear To Be At Reduced Risk Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Children who are more intelligent at age 6 may be less likely to experience trauma by age 17 and if they do, may be less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In contrast, children who have anxiety disorders and conduct problems at age 6 appear more likely to develop PTSD following exposure to traumatic events. [click link for full article] (Read More)

Tags: generalized anxiety, anxiety treatments