ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2019;36(2):91-101

Review article

UDC: 616.89-008.441:615.2

DOI: 10.5937/afmnai1902091S

Anxiety Disorders – Where Do We Stand Now? Current Medicamentous Treatment Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Nikola M. Stojanović¹, Gordana Nikolić^1,2, Milica Todorovska^1,3, Pavle J. Randjelović⁴, Nenad I. Stojiljković⁴, Niko S. Radulović³

¹University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Niš, Serbia
²Clinic for Mental Health, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbian
³University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, Niš, Serbia
⁴University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Niš, Serbia

summary


The frequency of anxiety disorders has been significantly increasing during the last few decades, especially within the younger population. This review article inclines to explain the differences between fear and anxiety, types of disorders that might mimic anxiety or induce it, and the involvement of different neural circuits in the processing of anxiety information. A significant portion of the paper is dedicated to the current pharmacological treatment of these disorders which represents a basis for the treatment of anxiety. Also, we addressed a potential application of herbal remedies for the treatment of different anxiety spectrum disorders.

Key words: anxiety, fear, brain structures, pharmacotherapy, herbal medicines