Anxiety in Young People: The Role of Natural Brain Chemicals

Anxiety is a common issue among young people, often starting in the teenage years. The body's own cannabis-like chemicals, called endocannabinoids, might play a big part in this. These chemicals, AEA and 2-AG, could help doctors understand anxiety better and improve treatments. Researchers studied these chemicals in 199 young people aged 9 to 17. They found that higher levels of AEA were linked to more severe anxiety symptoms. Meanwhile, 2-AG levels were lower in older kids, girls, and in the afternoon. Interestingly, a rise in 2-AG levels was connected to better improvement in anxiety symptoms after treatment with SSRIs, a common type of antidepressant. This study suggests that these natural brain chemicals could be used as markers to predict how well a young person might respond to anxiety treatment. However, it's important to note that this is just one piece of the puzzle. More research is needed to fully understand the role of endocannabinoids in anxiety and its treatment. The study also looked at body mass index (BMI) and found that higher BMI was linked to higher AEA levels. This could be a clue for future research, as it might help explain why anxiety is sometimes linked to weight and metabolism. In a smaller group of 41 adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder, researchers found that an increase in 2-AG levels was linked to better improvement in symptoms after 8 weeks of treatment with the SSRI escitalopram. This suggests that monitoring these chemicals could help doctors tailor treatments to each individual.