Anxiety disorders in the practice of pediatrician and pediatric neurologist

N.N. Zavadenko

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow

Anxiety disorders (ADs) are one of the most common reasons for consulting doctors and occurring conditions in the clinical practice of pediatrician and pediatric neurologist. ADs are a group of syndromes concerning emotional disorders that are characterized by intense and long-term anxiety, subjective feelings of psychic tension and harm, states of being apprehensive, as well as the occurrence of an uncommon strong fear (irrational and not corresponding to the content of the situations or objects that cause it). Excessive anxiety causes children to experience significant disruptions and limitations in their lives: it becomes difficult for them to participate in normal activities at their age, attend school, cope with everyday school activities and homework, communicate and make friends. Signs of ADs vary significantly from patient to patient, depending on their age and type of ADs, and change over time  as they grow older. The GABAergic, noradrenergic, and serotonergic systems are considered key in relation to the ADs pathophysiology and the action mechanisms of anxiolytic agents. It is assumed that further study of the ADs neurobiological mechanisms, including the use of functional neuroimaging methods, will clarify the fundamental mechanisms of anxiety, the role of dysfunctions in various brain areas, and justify rational techniques to the therapy of ADs.

Keywords: anxiety disorder, children, teenagers, neurosis, physic tension, fear, phobia, emotions.

For citation: Zavadenko N.N. Anxiety disorders in the practice of pediatrician and pediatric neurologist. RMJ. 2020;8:23–29.