Topic: anxiogenic events

Anxiety disorders are marked by intense and chronic worrying along other symptoms, including an attentional bias towards negative valence. Preclinical models have linked the activity of the anterior insular cortex (or insula) to both anxiety and negative valence[1]. We recently showed an increased dopamine release onto anterior insula neurons expressing type-1 dopamine receptors (D1R) during anxiogenic events and during aversive stimuli[2]. We also revealed that both systemic and intra-anterior insula D1R activation heighten anxiety-like behaviors[2]. However, the impact of D1R on anterior ins