Wenn Furcht und Angst entgleisen
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Aus der Perspektive der Biologischen Psychologie sind Furcht und Angst durch die Aktivierung eines Defensivsystems gekennzeichnet, welches sowohl die Enkodierung bedrohlicher Reize reguliert als auch die Organisation automatisch ablaufender Reaktionsprogramme übernimmt. Im Tiermodell wurde vor allem die Amygdala als zentrale Schaltstation dieses Defensivsystems herausgearbeitet, wobei diese Struktur sensorische Eingänge aus dem Thalamus und Kortex erhält und efferente Projektionen in verschiedene Strukturen des Kortex, Zwischen- und Mittelhirns sowie des Hirnstamms aussendet. Somit interagiert dieses affektive System mit einer ganzen Reihe kortikaler Regionen und kognitiver Funktionen. Pathologische Formen von Furcht und Angst unterscheiden sich nicht prinzipiell von normalen affektiven Reaktionen. Es liegt aber eine Sensibilisierung des Defensivsystems vor. Dies führt dazu, dass das Defensivsystem bereits bei geringer raum-zeitlicher Nähe und Intensität des bedrohlichen Reizes spezifisches Abwehrverhalten initiiert (z.B. Vorbereitung zur Flucht). Gleichzeitig wird das perzeptuelle System gebahnt, was zu einer weiteren Sensibilisierung des Systems beiträgt. Bei chronifizierten Angstzuständen befindet sich das Defensivsystem in permanent erhöhter Erregungsbereitschaft, die Umgebung wird ständig nach potenziell bedrohlichen Hinweisreizen (dies können auch interozeptive Reize sein) abgesucht (Hypervigilanz) und auch die defensive Reaktionsbereitschaft ist chronisch erhöht (z.B. vegetative Übererregbarkeit und motorische Spannung).
Abstract. From the perspective of Biological Psychology, fear and anxiety are emotional states that activate a defense system in the mammalian brain. This defense system regulates the encoding of threatening stimuli and organizes the response output to adjust to the threat. Animal data suggest that the amygdala is the core structure in this defense system. The amygdala receives sensory inputs from the thalamus and the cortex and sends efferent projections to several areas in the cortex, the diencephalon, midbrain, and brain stem. Thus, the affective system interacts with several cortical areas and cognitive functions. Pathological forms of fear and anxiety are not principally different from normal emotional responses. Rather there is a sensitization of the defense system. Therefore, defensive behaviour is already activated at a lower intensity or proximity of the threatening stimulus. Simultaneously, the perceptual system is primed for detecting threatening stimuli in the environment, further sensitizing the defense system. In states of chronic anxiety this defense system is permanently alert, scanning the environment for potentially threatening cues (these can also be interoceptive cues) (hypervigilance), and also priming defensive behavior and increasing autonomic arousal.
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