Visualizing Similarities and Differences in Generalized Anxiety and Major Depressive Disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are often comorbid and share genetic risk; in dimensional models, the symptoms commingle extensively. Still, disorder-specific phenotypes are clearly distinguishable. Thus, researchers have proposed both “common disorder” and “independent factor” models of anxiety and depression. Building on their previous research in anxiety patients, these investigators examined patterns of emotional activation to conflicting stimuli and concurrent compensatory patterns in 18 patients with GAD alone, 14 with MDD alone, 25 with both disorders, and 32 healthy comparison participants.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used, focusing on the ventral cingulate and amygdala. Participan…