The neurology of anxiety.

In this article the neurological underpinnings of anxiety are explored. It is suggested that the concept of endogenous anxiety may be a fruitful one. The author notes strong genetic factors in anxiety neurosis, and then goes on to explore the theories of anxiety which emphasize either a peripheral or a central mechanism as primary for the experience. Results from cerebral electrical stimulation and recording highlight the medial temporal structures, supported by data from the epilepsy literature. Animal and human investigations reinforce the rôle of the amygdala and hippocampus and connecting structures in anxiety.