ANXIETY DISORDERS: COGNITIVE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS FOR DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR (PART) II.

The biopsychological nature of anxiety disorders supports the idea that anxiety is not a production of disordered brain but an interpersonal disorder that has an influence on the neural networks which help the subjects to feel the pleasures and dangers, and to recognize the essence of human relations. On the other side the experimental data indicate that the biological changes in the brain (sex and stress hormones, neurotransmitters) prepare interpersonal disorders and their long term presence. The discussion via the analyses of the organization of defense behavior propounds the nature of the mentioned biopsychological interaction and proposes open questions to assist for the development of new ideas and assessment tools for the clinical psychology practice. The cognitive neuropsychological mechanisms of fear and anxiety, the sensitivity to reward and punishment, behavioral inhibition phenomena and the vulnerability to anxiety are discussed. The demonstrated mechanisms serve as an opportunity to build up a bridge between psychological experiences and their biological constitution.