Anxiety and cerebral blood flow during behavioral challenge. Dissociation of central from peripheral and subjective measures

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1989.01810060025005· OSTI ID:5877699

Zohar, J; Insel, T R; Berman, K F; Foa, E B; Hill, J L; Weinberger, D R

To investigate the relationship between anxiety and regional cerebral blood flow, we administered behavioral challenges to 10 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder while measuring regional cerebral blood flow with the xenon 133 inhalation technique. Each patient was studied under three conditions: relaxation, imaginal flooding, and in vivo (actual) exposure to the phobic stimulus. Subjective anxiety, obsessive-compulsive ratings, and autonomic measures (heart rate, blood pressure) increased significantly, but respiratory rate and PCO/sub 2/ did not change across the three conditions. Regional cerebral blood flow increased slightly (in the temporal region) during imaginal flooding, but decreased markedly in several cortical regions during in vivo exposure, when anxiety was highest by subjective and peripheral autonomic measures. These results demonstrate that intense anxiety can be associated with decreased rather than increased cortical perfusion and that ostensibly related states of anxiety (eg, anticipatory and obsessional anxiety) may be associated with opposite effects on regional cerebral blood flow.

• Research Organization: National Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5877699
• Journal Information: Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States) Vol. 46:6; ISSN ARGPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BEHAVIOR
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BLOOD FLOW
BLOOD PRESSURE
BODY
BRAIN
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBRAL CORTEX
CEREBRUM
CHALCOGENIDES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DISEASES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MENTAL DISORDERS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
NUCLEI
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
XENON 133
XENON ISOTOPES