Scientists reverse anxiety by fixing a tiny brain circuit

Article excerpt

Researchers identified a small cluster of amygdala neurons that control anxiety and social behavior, then reversed both conditions in mice by restoring normal activity in the circuit. The discovery points to a new therapeutic target for treating anxiety disorders in humans. The amygdala, a brain region long implicated in fear and emotional processing, contains this previously unknown circuit whose malfunction appears central to anxiety symptoms. When scientists corrected the neural activity, anxious mice became calmer and more socially engaged, suggesting the mechanism could eventually translate into clinical treatments. The work narrows focus from the entire amygdala to a specific population of neurons, potentially making future interventions more precise and effective.