ON THE HORIZON: FUTURE TREATMENTS FOR ANXIETY

ON THE HORIZON: FUTURE TREATMENTS FOR ANXIETY
The treatment of anxiety disorders has never been safer or more successful, but there's plenty of room for improvement. As researchers gain a greater understanding of the brain circuitry and chemistry that underlie anxiety, the door will be opened to even better therapies. In addition to searching for better medications, scientists are trying to learn how to use existing therapies more effectively.
Comparing medication and psychosocial therapies
Many different mediations and therapies are used to control anxiety disorders. Most anxiety disorders improve dramatically with a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But little is known about the relative effectiveness of medical and psychological approaches. Research sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health is comparing how well drug and behavioral therapies work separately a nd together to treat obsessive-compusive disorder.. Studies such as this will help determine whether combination therapies reduces the high relapse rate of people with compulsive-obsessive disorder.
Surgery for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Some people with obsessive-compusive disorder who don't respond to drug or behavioral therapy have been helped by surgery that cuts the neuronal loop that connects the cortex with the basic ganglia. Only a few medical centers have used the procedure, and it's too early to know the long-term outcomes. But for people who are disabled by severe anxiety disorders, surgery could offer an avenue of hope and relief.
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