There are children who develop symptoms of anxiety from a very young age, which increases their predisposition to suffer from mood disorders such as depression once they reach adulthood. Now, a new study carried out by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) has discovered that an over-activated brain circuit in three specific areas of the brain that is inherited from generation to generation could be the cause of depression and anxiety . The study has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The experiment was carried out with 600 young rhesus monkeys within a family with several generations that, as occurs with humans, some of them show traits of excessive anxiety from a young age that they demonstrate through exaggerated reactions to potential threats including acceleration excessive breathing or heart rate.
Using the magnetic resonance imaging technique (with high-resolution structural and functional brain images), the scientists discovered this hypersensitivity associated with high activity in the brain circuit that connected three areas : both the midbrain (responsible for pain and movement ), such as the limbic system (responsible for emotions) and the prefrontal cortex (characteristic of decision-making).
“The over-activity of these three brain regions is due to inherited alterations that are directly related to the risk of developing anxiety and depression later, and it is a great step in understanding the neural bases of anxiety”, explain the study authors.
These alterations constitute the critical point that increases the genetic possibilities of suffering anxiety and depression since, according to the results obtained with rhesus monkeys, 35% of the variation in anxiety tendencies found their echo in the family history . Thanks to this correlation, the researchers discovered a neural circuit where metabolism and anxious temperament during the first years of life probably shared a genetic basis.
“Basically, we believe that, to some extent, anxiety can provide an evolutionary advantage, as it helps a person to recognize and avoid danger, but when those circuits are more active, they become a problem and can lead to anxiety. and depressive disorders ”, conclude the authors.
