Locating Regions of Interest in Generalized Anxiety Disorder Using Function Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Residents of the Greater Hartford Connecticut area.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD)Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score of 18 or higher
• Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of 17 or less
• Fluency in English
• Capacity to understand the nature of the study and willingness to sign informed consent for

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of epilepsy or head trauma (Loss of consciousness>5 minutes) with the past 6 months
• Lifetime history of increased intracranial pressure, seizure disorder, stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis or brain surgery
• A review of patient medications by the study physician indicates an increased risk of seizure
• An active autoimmune, endocrine, viral, or vascular disorder affecting the brain; any unstable cardiac disease; hypertension; or severe renal or liver insufficiency
• Substance use disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the past 6 months
• Lifetime bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), psychotic disorder, mental retardation, or pervasive development disorder
• Any psychotic features, including dementia or delirium
• Medication change within past 3 months
• Current serious suicidal or homicidal ideation, and/or serious suicidal attempt within past 6 months
• Serious, unstable, or terminal medical condition or clinically judged too psychiatrically unstable to participate in the study
• Any contraindication for participation in MRI scan

Nonclinical Control Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Absence of any psychiatric diagnosis

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of epilepsy or head trauma (Loss of Consciousness>5 minutes) with the past 6 months
• Lifetime history of increased intracranial pressure, seizure disorder, stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis or brain surgery
• A review of patient medications by the study physician indicates an increased risk of seizure
• An active autoimmune, endocrine, viral, or vascular disorder affecting the brain; any unstable cardiac disease; hypertension; or severe renal or liver insufficiency
• Substance use disorder or PTSD within the past 6 months
• Lifetime bipolar disorder, OCD, psychotic disorder, mental retardation, or pervasive development disorder
• Any psychotic features, including dementia or delirium
• Medication change within past 3 months
• Current serious suicidal or homicidal ideation, and/or serious suicidal attempt within past 6 months
• Serious, unstable, or terminal medical condition or clinically judged too psychiatrically unstable to participate in the study
• Any contraindication for participation in MRI scan