Inside the Anxious Brain: The Role of the Basal Ganglia

Anxiety isn’t always the bad guy that most people assume it is. In fact, it helps you steer clear of risky situations, motivates you to meet deadlines, and nudges you to prepare for important life events. 

However, if you find yourself constantly overwhelmed with worry, avoiding simple conflict, or unable to relax even when nothing is objectively wrong, you may be experiencing symptoms linked to a deeper issue in the brain. 

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the country, with nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults affected. That’s more than 40 million people! Knowing why you have anxiety can be just as life-changing as knowing what part of the brain controls anxiety. 

The basal ganglia are a set of large structures located near the center of the brain. They are involved in anxiety and play a central role in your body’s motor and emotional reactions to threats.

Anxiety isn’t a one-size-fits-all response. It varies based on your unique brain chemistry, lived experiences, and how well you understand your mental health.

The good news is, you can learn how to calm the anxious brain and reclaim your inner peace. In this blog, you’ll gain insight into the neurological causes of anxiety and, more importantly, what to do to heal them long-term.

WHAT CAUSES AN ANXIOUS BRAIN?

The basal ganglia play a major role in integrating feelings and movement. Essentially, they act like an emotional clutch by shifting your mental gears and regulating your stress and anxiety levels, which influence:

·       How you shift or steady your motor movements

·       How you suppress unwanted or impulsive behaviors

·       How anxious you feel when under stress

·       Habit formation

·       Motivation and drive

·       Your body's pleasure and reward responses

When functioning well, the basal ganglia help keep your mind calm, focused, and motivated. Brain SPECT imaging studies at Amen Clinics show that when this area is overactive, it creates a cascade of issues that contribute to an anxious brain.

Research shows that increased activity in the basal ganglia, especially the caudate nucleus, is consistently observed in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This overactivity disrupts emotional regulation, amplifies nervous responses, and makes it difficult to shift gears mentally or emotionally.

These insights into how the brain causes anxiety are critical for creating effective, science-based treatment plans.

THE NEUROLOGICAL CAUSES OF ANXIETY

Contrary to popular belief, anxiety is more than just feeling nervous. It’s rooted in abnormal brain activity. From integrating thoughts, emotions, and motor actions, an overactive or underactive basal ganglia can be a hotspot for physical and emotional problems.

If you think you’re experiencing basal ganglia overactivity and anxiety, here are some symptoms to watch out for:

·       chronic worry or nervousness

·       physical sensations like chest tightness or trembling

·       muscle tension or soreness

·       a strong tendency to expect the worst

·       avoiding conflict or risky situations

·       low motivation or excessive overdrive

·       tics, tremors, or fine motor difficulties

·       rejection sensitivity and social anxiety

These symptoms often show up long before you may be officially diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

By understanding the brain structures involved in anxiety, you can stop blaming yourself for “overreacting” and start treating the actual root cause of this anxious brain dysfunction.

BRAIN HEALTH AND ANXIETY DISORDERS

Did you know that your brain’s stress response isn’t limited to a fight-or-flight response? In fact, the full spectrum includes fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and the basal ganglia are actively involved in mediating all of them.

When your brain is in overdrive, your survival instincts fire too quickly or too often, even in situations that aren’t dangerous. Overactive basal ganglia heightens your sensitivity to perceived threats, making you more likely to overanalyze, people-please, or emotionally shut down.

These reactive patterns are more than personality traits; they’re deeply embedded neurological responses. This dysfunction can lead to or exacerbate several anxiety disorders, including:

·       Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Characterized by persistent and excessive worry.

·       Social anxiety disorder: Involves intense fear of social rejection or embarrassment.

·       Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Often linked to overactivity in the basal ganglia and the anterior cingulate gyrus, leading to repetitive thoughts and even self-destructive behaviors.

Supporting brain health is essential for managing these conditions. As psychiatrist and brain health expert Dr. Amen emphasizes, “You’re not stuck with the brain you have. You can change it.”

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT YOUR ANXIOUS BRAIN

Fortunately, healing your anxious brain and calming basal ganglia overactivity is possible using Dr. Amen’s Four Circles model. This holistic method addresses the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual roots of anxiety and the brain.

Biological: Healing the Brain and Body Connection

1. Diaphragmatic breathing: Slows down your parasympathetic nervous system and boosts blood flow to your brain.
2. Hand warming: A biofeedback technique to reduce physical tension often linked to anxiety. You simply think of a mental image like holding a cup of hot cocoa, putting your hands in hot sand, or holding them in front of a fireplace.
3. Heart rate variability (HRV) training: Research shows this biofeedback approach can teach the body to regulate stress efficiently and reduce anxiety.
4. Anti-anxiety supplements: Natural aids that support brain chemistry, including:

○      Magnesium

○      L-Theanine

○      Vitamin B6

○      GABA

○      Valerian Root

○      Holy Basil

○      Kava Kava

○      Ashwagandha

○      Relora

5. Essential oils: Clinical research shows lavender and chamomile essential oils reduce cortisol and improve calm. A 2018 systematic review found that lavender oil is described as effective as some prescription anti-anxiety medications in several studies.
6. Nutritional planning: Avoiding hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) by eating balanced meals throughout the day can help stabilize your mood. A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet may be ideal if you have low basal ganglia activity and struggle with motivation.
7. Medication: In some cases, targeted medications may be beneficial as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Psychological: Calming Mental Storms

1. ANT therapy (automatic negative thoughts): A powerful tool developed by Dr. Amen to reframe unhelpful thought patterns.
2. Self-hypnosis and guided imagery:  These evidence-based methods have been shown to reduce stress and promote deep relaxation.
3. Meditation: Research shows that mindfulness reduces basal ganglia overactivity and increases gray matter in emotional-regulation areas.
4. Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and EMDR are especially effective for anxiety disorders rooted in trauma.

Social: Reducing Isolation and Fear

1. Conflict-resolution skills: Learn to handle interpersonal challenges without defaulting to avoidance or fear.
2. Build community: Making consistent social connections improves emotional resilience and helps recalibrate overactive anxiety pathways.

Spiritual: Finding Meaning Beyond the Mind

1. Purpose and passion: Having clear goals and passions improves motivation and mental clarity.
2. Spiritual practices: Whether it’s prayer, mindfulness, or healing rituals, spiritual anchors can reduce anxiety by creating perspective.
3. Generational healing: Understanding inherited patterns and trauma gives deeper meaning to certain behaviors and closure to your current mental health struggles.

CHANGE YOUR (ANXIOUS) BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Your anxious brain doesn’t have to stay on high alert all the time. Now that you understand the neurological causes of anxiety and the brain structures involved in anxiety, you can start to empower yourself and take back control.

The basal ganglia and anxiety go hand in hand but, with the right tools, you can create the peace you need.

Sign up today for Dr. Amen’s Change Your Brain Masters course, which offers step-by-step strategies rooted in brain-imaging science and real-world clinical success to heal anxiety and improve brain health naturally and effectively.