Current findings of fMRI in panic disorder: contributions for the fear neurocircuitry and CBT effects

Abstract

Thanks to brain imaging great advances have been made concerning the comprehension of neural substrates related to panic disorder (PD). This article aims to: review the recent functional MRI (fMRI) studies concerning PD; correlate the PD fMRI neurobiological findings with the fear neurocircuitry hypothesis; discuss the fear neurocircuitry hypothesis and link it to cognitive–behavior therapy findings; and comment on fMRI study limitations and suggest methodological changes for future research. As a whole, there is increasing evidence that brain structures such as the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex and limbic areas (hippocampus and amygdala) might play a major role in the panic response.

Keywords::

• amygdala
• anterior cingulate cortex
• anxiety neurocircuitry
• cognitive–behavior therapy
• fMRI
• hippocampus
• panic disorder
• prefrontal cortex

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The grant for this review was provided by the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and INCT Translational Medicine (CNPq). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.