THE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY DISORDERS ON COGNITION

Abstract

Anxiety disorders affect a significant portion of the population. These disorders affect the way people function in everyday life. Thus, it is important that we understand anxiety disorders and examine the effects they have on the brain and behavior. In recent years, scientists have been interested in the effects of anxiety on cognition. Cognition affects the way a person thinks and processes information. Cognitive skills are used to pay attention, read, remember things, learn something new, problem solve, etc. This paper will examine the many types of anxiety disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders and investigate the effects of different anxiety disorders on cognition. The anxiety disorders examined will be separation anxiety disorder, selective mutism, specific phobia, social phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This review will also explore the effects of anxiety on cognitive skills including executive functioning, memory, attention, and verbal fluency. Keywords: anxiety disorders, cognition, executive functioning, memory, attention