scholarly journals Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Adults: Focus on Pregabalin

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. CMPsy.S5069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Boschen
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Inhibitory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Ion Flow ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Voltage Dependent Calcium Channels ◽  
Flow Through

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic illness which impacts significantly on an individual's functioning and quality of life. Pregabalin is a novel structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, acting to reduce calcium ion flow through the α2δ subunit of pre-synaptic voltage-dependent calcium channels. Pregabalin has been used in treatment of GAD in a total of eight published controlled trials. In each trial, pregabalin has demonstrated a superiority over placebo, with response rates of over 40% in all studies, including patients on lower doses. One study has provided preliminary evidence for the efficacy of pregabalin in treatment of GAD in older adults. Pregabalin is generally well tolerated, with the most common adverse events being dizziness and somnolence. Adverse effects are generally mild-to-moderate, and transient. Pregabalin has low abuse potential. Limitations of the current literature are discussed, and directions for future research are proposed.

scholarly journals Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Very Young Children: First Case Reports on Stability and Developmental Considerations

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Michael S. Scheeringa ◽  
Lauren C. Burns
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
First Case

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is purported to start in early childhood but concerns about attenuation of anxiety symptoms over time and the development of emerging cognitive and emotional processing capabilities pose multiple challenges for accurate detection. This paper presents the first known case reports of very young children with GAD to examine these developmental challenges at the item level. Three children, five-to-six years of age, were assessed with the Diagnostic Infant and Preschool Assessment twice in a test-retest reliability study. One case appeared to show attenuation of the worries during the test-retest period based on caregiver report but not when followed over two years. The other two cases showed stability of the full complement of diagnostic criteria. The cases were useful for demonstrating that the current diagnostic criteria appear adequate for this developmental period. The challenges of accurate assessment of young children that might cause missed diagnoses are discussed. Future research on the underlying dysregulation of negative emotionality and long-term follow-ups are needed to better understand the etiology, treatment, and course of GAD in this age group.

scholarly journals A preliminary test of the therapeutic potential of written exposure with rescripting for generalized anxiety disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 204380871984152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melina M. Ovanessian ◽  
Naomi Koerner ◽  
Martin M. Antony ◽  
Michel J. Dugas
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Preliminary Test ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Cognitive Avoidance ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Fear Of Anxiety ◽  
Negative Problem Orientation

This experiment tested a novel written exposure intervention for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) that consisted of guided rescripting of participants’ worst fear. After describing their worst fear, adults with GAD ( N = 79) were randomly assigned to one of three writing interventions, each consisting of three sessions on consecutive days: (1) standard written exposure (WE), (2) written exposure with rescripting (RWE), and (3) neutral control writing (NC). Measures of symptoms and worry-associated processes were administered at pre- and post-intervention, and at 1-week and 1-month follow-ups. Worry declined significantly in all three conditions. Participants in WE reported significant reductions in fear of anxiety, whereas those in RWE reported significant reductions in fear of anger. Participants in RWE and NC reported a significant decrease in fear of positive emotion. Following RWE, participants perceived their feared scenario as less costly and perceived themselves as better able to cope with it, whereas participants in the WE and NC did not show these changes. Cognitive avoidance, intolerance of uncertainty, and negative problem orientation did not change. Findings suggest overall, RWE was not superior to WE, and that more research is needed to assess their therapeutic potential. Strengths and limitations are discussed for the benefit of future research on exposure for GAD.

scholarly journals Exposure to a Standardized Catastrophic Scenario in Virtual Reality or a Personalized Scenario in Imagination for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Guitard ◽  
Stéphane Bouchard ◽  
Claude Bélanger ◽  
Maxine Berthiaume
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Treatment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Randomized Control

The cognitive behavioral treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) often involves exposing patients to a catastrophic scenario depicting their most feared worry. The aim of this study was to examine whether a standardized scenario recreated in virtual reality (VR) would elicit anxiety and negative affect and how it compared to the traditional method of imagining a personalized catastrophic scenario. A sample of 28 participants were first exposed to a neutral non-catastrophic scenario and then to a personalized scenario in imagination or a standardized virtual scenario presented in a counterbalanced order. The participants completed questionnaires before and after each immersion. The results suggest that the standardized virtual scenario induced significant anxiety. No difference was found when comparing exposure to the standardized scenario in VR and exposure to the personalized scenario in imagination. These findings were specific to anxiety and not to the broader measure of negative affect. Individual differences in susceptibility to feel present in VR was a significant predictor of increase in anxiety and negative affect. Future research could use these scenarios to conduct a randomized control trial to test the efficacy and cost/benefits of using VR in the treatment of GAD.

scholarly journals Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation Difficulties in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Preliminary Evidence for Independent and Overlapping Contributions

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizabeth Roemer ◽  
Jonathan K. Lee ◽  
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault ◽  
Shannon M. Erisman ◽  
Susan M. Orsillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Generalized Anxiety

Aripiprazole as Augmentation Treatment of Refractory Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 522-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Hoge ◽  
John J. Worthington ◽  
Rebecca E. Kaufman ◽  
Hannah R. Delong ◽  
Mark H. Pollack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Antipsychotic Agent ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Pharmacologic Agent ◽  
Severity Scores ◽  
Augmentation Strategy

ABSTRACTIntroduction:Individuals with anxiety disorders often remain symptomatic despite treatment with a first-line pharmacologic agent. More research examining pharmacotherapy augmentation strategies to improve outcomes is needed.Methods:In an 8-week, open-label, prospective augmentation study, we examined the efficacy and tolerability of the novel antipsychotic agent aripiprazole for adult outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder (n=13) or panic disorder (n=10) who remained symptomatic despite treatment for at least 8 weeks with an adequate (or maximally tolerated) dose of typical pharmacotherapy.Results:Aripiprazole augmentation was associated with a significant reduction in Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scores (paired t=4.41, df=22, P<.001) in the intent-to-treat sample of 23 individuals. Three subjects (13%) discontinued due to sedation, chest discomfort, and restlessness, respectively.Conclusion:These data provide preliminary evidence that aripiprazole may be a useful augmentation strategy for individuals with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder who show a limited response to initial pharmacotherapy.

Preliminary evidence for an emotion dysregulation model of generalized anxiety disorder

2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1281-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas S. Mennin ◽  
Richard G. Heimberg ◽  
Cynthia L. Turk ◽  
David M. Fresco
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Generalized Anxiety

Inhibitory Control in Individuals with Clinical Levels of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
María B. García-Martín ◽  
Francisco J. Ruiz ◽  
Luna Bedoya-Valderrama ◽  
Miguel A. Segura-Vargas ◽  
Andrés Peña-Vargas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Ex Post

Abstract Previous research has shown that individuals suffering from depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) seem to have inhibitory control deficits compared with healthy controls. However, few studies have been conducted in Spanish-speaking countries. Thus, this study aims to analyze the performance on the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) between groups of Colombian participants with clinical levels of depression and GAD symptoms and a nonclinical control group. According to previous research, we expected to find significant differences in inhibitory control among groups. An ex post facto design was implemented. The SCWT was administered to a total sample of 105 individuals (64.8% women, M = 22.94 years, SD = 4.62), including 27 depressed and 15 anxious participants according to their scores on the Personal Health Questionnaire–9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, respectively. Bayesian t-tests showed that depressed participants showed the same processing speed but lower scores on inhibitory control than healthy controls, BF = 13.70, δ = 0.50, 95% CI [0.08, 0.94]. Conversely, anxious participants showed deficits in processing speed, SCWT-Word: BF = 16.19, δ = 0.68, 95% CI [0.15, 1.24]; SCWT-Color: BF = 5.98, δ = 0.50, 95% CI [–0.01, 1.04], but not in inhibitory control compared with the nonanxious counterparts. This study provides preliminary evidence concerning the inhibitory control deficits in Colombian depressed individuals and processing speed deficits in those experiencing clinical levels of GAD symptoms.

scholarly journals Preliminary evidence for a role of the adrenergic nervous system in generalized anxiety disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaobin Zhang ◽  
Joanna Norton ◽  
Isabelle Carrière ◽  
Karen Ritchie ◽  
Isabelle Chaudieu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Adrenergic Nervous System

scholarly journals The network structure of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and somatic symptomatology

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (14) ◽  
pp. 2989-2998 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Bekhuis ◽  
R. A. Schoevers ◽  
C. D. van Borkulo ◽  
J. G. M. Rosmalen ◽  
L. Boschloo
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Network Structure ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Major Depressive

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) often co-occur with somatic symptomatology. Little is known about the contributions of individual symptoms to this association and more insight into their relationships could help to identify symptoms that are central in the processes behind the co-occurrence. This study explores associations between individual MDD/GAD symptoms and somatic symptoms by using the network approach.MethodMDD/GAD symptoms were assessed in 2704 participants (mean age 41.7 years, 66.1% female) from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology. Somatic symptoms were assessed with the somatization scale of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire. The technique eLasso was used to estimate the network of MDD/GAD and somatic symptoms.ResultsThe network structure showed numerous associations between MDD/GAD and somatic symptoms. In general, neurovegetative and cognitive/affective MDD/GAD symptoms showed a similar strength of connections to the somatic domain. However, associations varied substantially across individual symptoms. MDD/GAD symptoms with many and strong associations to the somatic domain included anxiety and fatigue, whereas hypersomnia and insomnia showed no connections to somatic symptoms. Among somatic symptoms, excessive perspiration and pressure/tight feeling in chest were associated with the MDD/GAD domain, while muscle pain and tingling in fingers showed only a few weak associations.ConclusionsIndividual symptoms show differential associations in the co-occurrence of MDD/GAD with somatic symptomatology. Strongly interconnected symptoms are important in furthering our understanding of the interaction between the symptom domains, and may be valuable targets for future research and treatment.

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