Anxiety to be a normal emotion, an adaptive mechanism that allows us to act in the face of a threat, protects us ... However, in these uncertain times, fear has increased to the point of giving rise to numerous disorders, including cardiovascular conditions , and psychosomatic disorders. It is important to be aware of understanding the functioning of our brain in our daily life, to take into account the emotions involved with events, trauma and how neurobiology responds in these cases.

1. NEUROBIOLOGY OF ANXIETY IN
TIMES OF PANDEMIC
COURSE :
Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life
Universidad of Chicago
Psic. Susana Reyes Torres
Date : Julio/ 2020

2. Definition of Anxiety
Anxiety is defined as a temporally diffused emotional state
caused by a potentially harmful situation, with the probability or
occurrence of harm being low or uncertain.

3. Neuroanatomical structures
involved in anxiety disorder
 Different brain areas are involved, such as the amygdala, the insula,
the ventral striatum, the hypothalamus, the ventral regions of the
anterior cingulate cortex and the prefrontal cortex. Specifically, the
ventromedial zone and the orbitofrontal cortex.

4. Circuits involved in anxiety (The Central
Nervous System)
 The central nervous system is made up of the spinal cord, medulla
oblongata, pons, midbrain, diencephalon, cerebellum, and cerebral
hemispheres. It is important to mention that there are
neurotransmitters with anxiolytic or angiogenic actions, an example
of them: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is of great
importance in the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines, which
are used in the treatment of anxiety, enhance the activity of this
neurotransmitter.

5. The neurobiological process of
anxiety
 At the hierarchical level of the Nervous System are structures
with specific functions such as the Amygdala as an
integrating center, which receives stimuli as well as the
conscious processing of emotional experience.

6. The peripheral nervous system & The
central nervous system
 The signals that pick up the sense organs and are carried by
the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system
are called inferences.
 Central nervous system responses that emerge
 to different parts of the body through the peripheral nervous
system are efferences.

7. Limbic System (anxiety)
 However, there are a large number of nerve centers involved
in the production and modulation of anxiety in the brain.
These are mostly areas that are part of the limbic system.
 Some of the mentioned areas start to fail. When we talk about
anxiety and the brain, a crucial area is the prefrontal cortex.
This is in charge of regulating emotions among many other
functions and suffers a deterioration in its operation in the
face of chronic anxiety.

8. CONCLUSION
 Anxiety to be a normal emotion, an adaptive mechanism that allows
us to act in the face of a threat, protects us ... However, in these
uncertain times, fear has increased to the point of giving rise to
numerous disorders, including cardiovascular conditions , and
psychosomatic disorders.
 It is important to be aware of understanding the functioning of our
brain in our daily life, to take into account the emotions involved with
events, trauma and how neurobiology responds in these cases.

9. Bibliography
 C, L. (2011). Circuitos neurobiológicos de la
ansiedad . Congreso Argentino de
Psiquiatría, 4.
 D, N. J. (2014). Uncertainty and Anticipation
in Anxiety. US National Library of Medicine,
15.