Social anxiety disorder: psychobiological and evolutionary underpinnings.

Journal: CNS spectrums

Volume: 12

Issue: 11

Year of Publication: 2008

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract summary 

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) also know as social phobia is increasingly recognized as a highly prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorder. SAD patients demonstrate cognitive-affective distortions in relation to social situations and abnormal activation patterns in limbic structures during functional imaging. Behavioral inhibition is an endophenotype that may be useful in understanding vulnerability to SAD, and that has specific imaging and genetic correlates. From an evolutionary perspective, it has been speculated that SAD represents a false appeasement alarm. It is notable that SAD responds to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, but not to most tricyclic antidepressants; this finding is consistent with the importance of serotonin and dopamine in mediating this disorder.

Authors & Co-authors:  Stein Dan J DJ Vythilingum Bavanisha B

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  2
Identifiers
Doi : 
SSN : 1092-8529
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Amygdala
Other Terms
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
United States