The relationship between interoception and anxiety, stress and obsessive-compulsive disorders in adult clinical populations - A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
Lucy Snell, Matthew Garner, Gaby Pfeifer et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review examines the relationship between interoception and anxiety-related disorders in adult clinical populations, focusing on interoceptive dimensions such as accuracy and attention. The review includes 33 studies and finds that panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are linked to heightened interoceptive attention and altered accuracy, while obsessive-compulsive disorder is associated with maladaptive interoceptive beliefs. Neuroimaging suggests altered connectivity in interoceptive brain networks.
Key findings
- Panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder show heightened interoceptive attention and altered accuracy during threat-related tasks.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by maladaptive interoceptive beliefs and increased attention to bodily sensations.
- Evidence for PTSD and social anxiety disorder is limited, preventing firm conclusions about their interoceptive profiles.
- Neuroimaging indicates altered functional connectivity within interoceptive brain networks.
Why it matters
Understanding the role of interoception in anxiety-related disorders can inform treatment approaches, potentially leading to targeted interventions that address interoceptive processes. This may enhance therapeutic outcomes for patients with these conditions.