Towards an integrated neuroscientific understanding of anxiety: Growth factors as underlying anxiety vulnerability markers.

Aim of the Project
Already more than a century ago, Munch's famous painting of 'The Scream' raised the public's attention to the devastating feeling of anxiety, and ever since, anxiety has moved into the focus of research. However, current treatment approaches are effective in only about 50% of patients1, which is disappointing given that
anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorder2, and it is yet not understood how different suggested key mechanisms might be linked to one another. This proposed DPhil project supervised by Dr Reinecke aims to take a step towards an integrated neurobiological understanding of anxiety, by linking
anxiety to growth factors, which may represent an underlying vulnerability biomarker for anxiety onset, to inform the development of more targeted treatment methods.