Cognitive anxiolytics

Cognitive defi cits, such as poor concentration, attention, and memory, are common features of anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). First-line pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders, particularly benzodiazepines, may compound these cognitive defi cits due to their sedative actions. Complementary and alternative treatments with combined anxiolytic and cognitive-enhancing properties, hereto referred to as cognitive anxiolytics, would be benefi cial to the fi eld. The research outlined in this chapter details evidence on a range of herbs including Bacopa monnieri , Ginkgo biloba , Melissa offi cinalis , Camellia sinensis , Salvia spp., and Rosmarinus offi cinalis that have both cognitive-enhancing and anxiolytic properties. A range of mechanisms of action have been proposed to account for these effects including antioxidant, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, increased cerebral blood fl ow (CBF), cholinergic enhancement (binding to both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) potentiation.