The Impact of Anxiety on Emotional Control: Brain Region Shifts

Anxious individuals use a less suitable section of the forebrain to control their emotions, as revealed by brain scans conducted by researchers at Radboud University. In socially difficult situations, anxious people struggle to choose alternative behavior and often avoid social interactions. The scans showed that anxious individuals activate a less efficient section of the prefrontal cortex compared to non-anxious individuals when controlling emotional behavior. This difference in brain activity may explain why anxious people find it challenging to navigate social situations and suggests potential avenues for developing new treatments for anxiety.