Dr. Khalsa: Anxiety Disorder Associated with Autonomic Hypersensitivity

Anxiety Disorder With Autonomic Hypersensitivity and Blunted Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Activity During Peripheral Adrenergic Stimulation A Randomized Clinical Trial: Findings In this crossover randomized clinical trial, female patients with GAD exhibited hypersensitivity to adrenergic stimulation as well as greater interoceptive sensation and diminished ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity compared with healthy participants. Meaning This study provides evidence of dysfunctional autonomic and central nervous system contributions to the pathophysiology of GAD and suggests that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex may be a treatment target.