A team of American neuroscientists at the University of California, San Francisco has identified a single, consistent biomarker linked to anxiety that appears across both mice and humans. The discovery, reported in a high-profile neuroscience journal, offers a unified lens for understanding how anxious states arise in the brain and how they might be measured with greater precision across species. This finding emerges from a concerted effort to map brain activity patterns that accompany emotional states, addressing a long-standing challenge in psychiatry: the variability of anxiety presentations across individuals and species. A cross-species approach like this helps bridge what clinicians see in people with what researchers observe in animals, potentially accelerating the translation of basic science into clinical applications. (citation: Neuron, UCSF study)
Because anxiety disorders remain among the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide, researchers have intensified efforts to track brain activity associated with emotional dysregulation. By linking neural signals to mood shifts, scientists aim to create objective biomarkers that can complement subjective reports, enabling more accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized treatment planning for those affected. The ongoing work emphasizes the brain circuits that underpin worry, fear, and apprehension, while also exploring how such signals may reflect resilience or vulnerability in the face of stressors. (citation: Neuron, UCSF study)
To investigate these processes, the research team carried out a series of carefully designed observations involving a small cohort of epilepsy patients who were implanted with intracranial electrodes to monitor brain dynamics in real time. Parallel experiments in mice were conducted to probe the causal relationships behind observed patterns. The dual-species strategy allows researchers to test hypotheses about neuronal coordination that could not be easily disentangled in one species alone. The methods emphasize rigorous cross-validation: human electrophysiology sessions paired with animal modeling to dissect the meaning of specific neural rhythms and their relation to behavioral states. (citation: Neuron, UCSF study)
Analyses revealed recurring bursts of beta coherence—a brief, intense synchronization between the amygdala and hippocampus. These two regions are central to memory formation and emotional regulation, and they also contribute to stress responses, spatial orientation, and the mental mapping of environmental cues. In the human participants, moments of heightened beta synchronization tended to predict subsequent increases in anxious mood, while reductions in synchronization were linked to relief or calm. In the animal models, similar patterns correlated with shifts in anxious behavior, underscoring a shared neural mechanism across species. The strength and timing of these beta bursts appeared to be more informative than any single regional activity alone, highlighting the value of network-level analysis for decoding emotional states. (citation: Neuron, UCSF study)
The implications of this cross-species discovery extend beyond basic science. By illuminating a universal pathway for emotional processing, researchers can refine computational models that anticipate anxiety trajectories and test interventions that may modulate this neural coupling. The research team envisions future work to map the broader circuit—potentially involving additional brain regions and temporal dynamics—that drives negative emotions. Such insights could guide the development of precision therapies, including neuromodulation approaches, behavioral strategies, and pharmacological targets aimed at stabilizing maladaptive brain networks when anxiety escalates. (citation: Neuron, UCSF study)
Earlier observations suggested that climate-related threats and environmental stressors could contribute to rising anxiety levels in some populations, a notion echoed by clinicians who track how external danger feeds into internal states. The current findings add a biological layer to that narrative by showing that the brain’s rhythmic coordination—particularly in the beta band—serves as a measurable barometer of emotional tension, regardless of the trigger. In practice, these insights may one day translate into real-time monitoring tools or targeted therapies that help individuals regain balance when anxiety symptoms flare, offering a scientifically grounded path toward more effective management of this common condition.