The Role of Stress and Fear in the Development of Mental Disorders

Overview

Journal Psychiatr Clin North Am

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2014 Dec 3

PMID 25455064

Citations 20

Authors

Polaris Gonzalez

Karen G Martinez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The most common pathologic manifestation of fear is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Developing PTSD is closely related with predisposing factors such as genes and early traumatic experiences. In PTSD, enhanced fear learning and poor extinction are common. Fear is manifested through autonomic responses and persistent memories of the traumatic event. These manifestations are related to stress responses modulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This article evaluates the role of fear and stress in the course of PTSD. Findings on fear learning and extinction are presented in order to guide future treatments of patients with PTSD.

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