Anxiety disorders have been linked to the low activity of _____ neurotransmitter.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Gamma Aminobutyric Acid
Abnormal activity of certain neurotransmitters, the chemicals that carry a message across the synapse, can lead to specific psychological disorders.
Option (1) Dopamine — Incorrect. Schizophrenia has been linked to excess activity of dopamine, not anxiety to its low activity.
Option (2) Serotonin — Incorrect. Its low activity is linked to depression, not to anxiety disorders.
Option (3) Gamma Aminobutyric Acid — Correct. Anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of GABA.
Option (4) Acetylcholine — Incorrect. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter by which a nerve signals a muscle to contract, and it also plays a part in memory and attention; its loss in the brain is seen in Alzheimer’s disease. It is not the one linked to anxiety disorders.
Note 1: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2023 on 30-05-2023 (Slot 1).
Note 2: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 16-05-2025 (Slot 1).
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.…” |