Brain Network System that Causes Stumbling when Anxious The anxiety of being watched can have a disastrous effect on one’s performance, according to a

new study published in the Scientific Reports in January 2016. The team of neuroscientists at the

University of Sussex's Sackler Centre for Consciousness and Brighton and Sussex Medical School,

headed by Dr. Michiko Yoshie, used a functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging (fMRI) to

identify the brain network system that is responsible for performance mishaps.

Dr. Yoshie and his associates – Professor Hugo Critchley, Dr. Neil Harrison and Dr. Yoko Nagai –

observed the brain activity of the participants while they were engaged in a task that required

them to exert a considerable amount of force. In the next step, they monitored the performance

of participants whom they believed were evaluating their performance and of those who

appeared to be evaluating the performance of someone else. Interestingly, participants were

found to be more anxious when they were being observed which made them grip the object

harder.

The results showed that the area

of the brain known as the inferior

parietal cortex (IPC), which

controls sensorimotor functions,

gets deactivated when people

realize they are being observed.

Precisely, IPC jointly works with

another region – the posterior

superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) –

to form the action-observation

network (AON) that lets us know

what another person is thinking.

"We realized that AON might also be related to performance anxiety because when being

scrutinized, we tend to care about how the audience is feeling about us and our performance,"

Dr. Yoshie, the lead author of the study, said in a statement.

"It's important to believe that the audience is supporting you and wishing for your successful

performance. To strengthen such belief, you should sometimes have opportunities to perform in

front of your supporters. For example, before an actual public performance, a musician could

perform in front of his/her family and close friends and receive a lot of applause. Such experience

would help you to induce a desirable activation pattern in your brain and boost self-confidence,"

she added.

Who is at risk?

Everyone feels anxious when faced with a problem at home or workplace, which is a normal part

of life. Anxiety is a type of fear usually associated with the thought of a threat or something going

wrong, which does not go away and can even get worse over time. Usually, anxiety disorders

develop from a set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality and life events.

A person may experience anxiety with several other conditions such as panic

disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

It may show any of the following symptoms:

- Feelings of apprehension or dread

- Being tensed

- Restlessness or irritability

- Anticipating the worst and being watchful for signs of danger

- Feelings of panic, fear and uneasiness

- Cold or sweaty hands and/or feet

According to a 2014 report by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety

disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults aged 18 and

older, or 18 percent of the adult population. People with an anxiety disorder are three to five

times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric

disorders than those who do not suffer from this mental condition.

The way forward

Anxiety can be triggered by the pressures of everyday responsibilities and can cause a variety of

symptoms, which can affect the overall health and wellbeing. No matter how big the stress is,

one still has a control over his or her lifestyle, thoughts and emotions. For those with extreme

performance anxiety, there are brain stimulation techniques, such as the transcranial magnetic

stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which can help activate the

desired behavior. Patients can also consider a neurofeedback (NFB) training, which can help them

control their own brain activity.

Disrupting many lives, stress is a serious disorder worldwide and needs immediate treatment. If

you are unsure about your symptoms and still feel uneasy, do seek professional help. The anxiety

disorders treatment centers Colorado are among the best in the region.

If you or your loved one is struggling with anxiety, the Anxiety Treatment Advisors of Colorado

can help you get the best anxiety disorders treatment Colorado. Call us today for a referral to

an effective treatment program at 866-891-2539. The option of professional treatment allows

individuals greater odds of leading happier and healthier lives.

www.anxietytreatmentadvisorscolorado.com