Abstract: Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Excessive stress exposure is an essential factor for the development of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders. Numerous studies have shown that the abnormalities of neuronal structure and function in the amygdala are highly correlated with anxiety disorders. This paper mainly focuses on introducing the role of amygdala neural circuits in regulating anxiety behavior. After summarizing the structure and circuit of the amygdala, we discuss recent findings from rodents showing the amygdala circuits that are involved in the regulation of anxiety behavior in physiological state. Finally, we summarize the structural and functional changes of amygdala circuits and the mechanisms in stress‑induced anxiety disorders under pathological conditions. We hope this review would provide a new theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders.
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