Read the passage below and answer the questions as instructed:-
Driving back home Shriya experienced increased heart beat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, palpitations and she started having a feeling of discomfort. She was so scared that she stopped the car and sat on the pavement. In the next few months, frequency of these attacks increased, and the fear of being caught in the traffic was so high that she stopped driving. She felt that she was going crazy and losing control on herself.
Which neurotransmitter is responsible for the disorder highlighted in the case study?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Low activity of GABA
Shriya’s sudden attacks of a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness and trembling, and her fear of being caught in traffic during an attack, show panic disorder, which is one of the anxiety disorders.
Option (1) Low activity of GABA — Correct. Abnormal activity of certain neurotransmitters can lead to specific disorders, and anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Option (2) Excess activity of Dopamine — Incorrect. Excess activity of dopamine has been linked to schizophrenia, a disorder in which the person loses touch with reality. Shriya knows what is happening to her; her problem is intense fear.
Option (3) Low activity of Serotonin — Incorrect. Low activity of serotonin has been linked to depression, whose mark is a lasting low mood and loss of interest. Shriya’s attacks are bursts of terror, not sadness.
Option (4) Excess activity of GABA — Incorrect. The neurotransmitter is right but the direction is wrong: anxiety is linked to low, not excess, activity of GABA.
NCERT (2025-26): “Factors Underlying Abnormal Behaviour … a tiny space called synapse separates one neuron from the next, and the message must move across that space. When an electrical impulse reaches a neuron’s ending, the nerve ending is stimulated to release a chemical, called a neuro-transmitter. Studies indicate that abnormal activity by certain neuro-transmitters can lead to specific psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), schizophrenia to excess activity of dopamine, and depression to low activity of serotonin.…” “Anxiety Disorders … One day while driving home, Deb felt his heart beating rapidly, he started sweating profusely, and even felt short of breath. He was so scared that he stopped the car and stepped out. In the next few months, these attacks increased and now he was hesitant to drive for fear of being caught in traffic during an attack. Deb started feeling that he had gone crazy and would die. Soon he remained indoors and refused to move out of the house.…” |