Scientists identify key brain circuits behind youth anxiety

Two complementary studies have found key insights into how anxiety and depression develop in young people, thus providing hope for more targeted treatments.

Spanish studies point to specific brain circuits that control emotional regulation, while a Norwegian study reveals how loneliness and low resilience combine to create perfect storm conditions for mental health problems during a critical transition from adolescence to adulthood.

The results show that environmental factors and precise neural mechanisms work together to shape the mental health of youth, and that understanding these links may lead to more effective interventions.

Anxiety changes in the brain

Scientists at the Spanish Institute of Neuroscience have found that a specific group of neurons in the amygdala is like an anxiety shift in the brain. When these cells become overactive, they trigger a range of behavioral changes associated with anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal.

“We already know that the amygdala is involved in anxiety and fear, but now we have identified specific neuronal populations whose activities alone are only sufficient to trigger pathological behavior,” explained Juan Lerma, who leads the research team.

The researchers used genetically modified mice to demonstrate that normal activity is restored in only one brain region (the basolateral amygdala), which is sufficient to reverse anxiety-like behavior. This precise targeting is effective even in mice with natural anxiety, suggesting that the mechanism is widely applicable, not just for specific genetic conditions.

Loneliness – Fudu Contact

Meanwhile, research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology reveals how psychological factors interact in vulnerable adolescents. The study followed adolescents into young adults and found that those who were both lonely and low in resilience were at a higher risk of anxiety and depression.

“Adolescents with loneliness and resilience are at a significantly greater risk of anxiety and depression than other groups,” said Nayan Deepak Parlikar, lead author of the study.

The Norwegian study identified several key risk factors:

• Loneliness alone increases mental health risks
• Low elasticity independently increases stress vulnerability
• The risk of this combination is exponentially higher than any single factor
• These effects persist from adolescence to adulthood

Actual meaning

Both studies point to more precise intervention strategies. Spanish studies show that targeting specific brain circuits can provide “an effective, more localized strategy to treat emotional disorders.”

Norway’s findings highlight early identification and intervention. “Health professionals who work with young people should focus on identifying people with loneliness and low resilience at the early stages,” Parlikar advises.

This dual approach – introducing brain mechanisms and social factors – provides a comprehensive framework for understanding youth mental health.

Beyond personal therapy

The study also highlights the importance of environmental intervention. As NTNU director Unni Karin Moksnes explained: “It is important that schools, clubs and communities work together to prevent loneliness and exclusion and to create a safe, inclusive environment.”

Schools play a particularly critical role as they are “the stage for all children and young people to meet” and provide opportunities to build communities that promote mental health.

The Spanish team found that certain behavioral deficiencies were not completely resolved against the amygdala alone, suggesting that multiple brain regions work together in complex mental health conditions. This intensifies the need for a comprehensive approach to both addressing neural circuits and social environments.

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These studies represent an important step in understanding the biological and social roots of youth mental health challenges. By identifying specific brain circuits and psychological risk factors, researchers are approaching treatments that can address root causes rather than symptoms.

The combination of precise neurotargeting and early social interventions can change how we treat mental health in young people, making it possible to prevent many anxiety and depression before they fully develop.

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