Scientists from the University of Nijmegen (Netherlands) found that anxious people load the wrong part of the brain to control emotions in socially difficult situations. The results of the research have been published magazine Nature Communications (part of the Nature group).
Experts came to such conclusions after analyzing the data obtained during the brain scan. Some volunteers noted the increased level of anxiety.
“For example, people who are anxious when seeing a loved one will prefer to avoid social interaction. A casual person will try to approach and invite what they see on a date. Both will be nervous, but anxious people use a less appropriate area of the forebrain to control emotions. it is more difficult for them to choose alternative behaviors, so they are more likely to avoid social interaction.
The subjects were shown happy and angry faces. First they had to hover over it and choose a happy face, then the other way around. Scientists say this requires controlling the automatic tendency to avoid negative situations.
It turns out that anxious people cope with this simple task just as well as people who do not experience anxiety. However, the scan showed that it was another region, not the anterior prefrontal cortex, that was active that was transmitting data to the motor cortex.
According to the authors, this discovery will help them develop new ways of coping with anxiety.
ancient scientists to solveWhat thoughts increase depression?