Grant: Project Grant

Many psychiatric conditions have an anxiety component but it is not clear how anxiety develops at a neural level. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a critical role in anxiety and anxiety-based disorders. We have studied the behavior of ACC neurons and networks and have developed a theory about how they may create anxiety. The activity in groups of ACC neurons form patterns that represent the events the animal experiences. We discovered unique patterns that arise in anticipation of unpleasant, threatening events. These patterns may act on other brain regions, to influence autonomic arousal and create a sensation of anxiety that in turn affects ongoing thought or action. The present proposal seeks to better understand the patterns in ACC neurons that represent anticipated threats and to test possible ways to weaken these patterns and in turn, reduce anxiety.