Hypermerimna Explained

Hypermerimna (;) is an inability to remove focus from anxiety-producing stimuli, which may be caused by damage to the attention control centers of the brain.

Causes

Hypermerimna is observed when a subject with anxiety has difficulty in disengaging from novel stimuli, and may be caused by damage to the brain's pre-frontal control regions.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} The patterns of disrupted attentional control relate to findings of disrupted performance on executive functions tasks, such as working memory across a wide number of different disorder groups.^[5]

Treatment

Hypermerimna may respond to standard treatment for painful conditions if the anxiety is induced by pain, using various drugs such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants.^[6]

See also

• Attentional control

References

1. Kalisch, R., Wiech, K., Critchley, H.D., Seymour, B., O’Doherty, J.P., Oakley, D.A., Allen, P., Dolan, R.J. Anxiety reduction through detachment: subjective, physiological, and neural effects.. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 17. 6. 874–83. 2005. 15969906. 10.1162/0898929054021184. 10.1.1.319.5312. 414744.
2. Attention and anxiety: different attentional functioning under state and trait anxiety.. Pacheco-Unguetti. Antonia Pilar. 2010. Psychological Science. 10.1177/0956797609359624. 20424060. 298–304. 21. 2. Acosta. Alberto. Callejas. Alicia. Lupiáñez. Juan. 34083371.
3. The cocktail party phenomenon revisited: The importance of working memory capacity. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 2001-06-01. 1069-9384. 331–335. 8. 2. 10.3758/BF03196169. en. Andrew R. A.. Conway. Nelson. Cowan. Michael F.. Bunting. 11495122. free.
4. Attention and Performance. Annual Review of Psychology. 2001-01-01. 11148320. 629–651. 52. 1. 10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.629 . Pashler . H . Johnston . JC . Ruthruff . E.
5. Using developmental cognitive neuroscience to study behavioral and attentional control. Developmental Psychobiology. 2009-03-01. 1098-2302. 107–118. 51. 2. 10.1002/dev.20350. en. Duncan E.. Astle. Gaia. Scerif. 18973175.
6. Matsuzawa-Yanagida K, Narita M, Nakajima M, etal. Usefulness of antidepressants for improving the neuropathic pain-like state and pain-induced anxiety through actions at different brain sites. Neuropsychopharmacology. 33. 8. 1952–65. July 2008. 17957217. 10.1038/sj.npp.1301590. free.