The present thesis investigated family history and neurobiology of social phobia. Social phobia is a disabling disorder characterized by a marked fear of scrutiny in a variety of social situations. By using a validated questionnaire, study I related family history of excessive social anxiety to social phobia and avoidant personality disorder in epidemiologically identified probands in the Swedish general population. A two- to threefold increased relative risk of social anxiety was observed for both diagnostic groups. Thus, having an affected family member is associated with approximately a doubled risk for both social phobia and avoidant personality disorder.The neurobiological studies explored situational and anticipatory elicited anxiety by means of positron emission tomography and 15O-water. Study II examined the functional neuroanatomy of social anxiety provocation in social phobics and a healthy comparison group during a public speaking task. Social phobia symptomatology was associated with higher neural activity in the amygdaloid complex…
Contents
INTRODUCTION
The present thesis
Social phobia – What is it?
DIAGNOSTIC ISSUES
Development of DSM criteria
Prevalence and caseness
Sociodemographic findings
Subtypes of social phobia
Comorbidity with avoidant personality disorder
Shyness
ETIOLOGY
Genetics and family aggregation
Behavioral inhibition
Personality traits
Family environment
Cognitive factors
Associative learning accounts
Neurobiological influences
THEORIES OF EMOTION
NEURONAL UNDERPINNINGS OF FEAR AND ANXIETY
Neuroimaging: Studies of social phobia
THE EMPIRICAL STUDIES
Study I
Study II
Study III
Discussion of the individual studies
The family study
The brain imaging studies
General discussion
CONCLUDING REMARKS
REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Author: Tillfors, Maria
Source: Uppsala University Library
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