Anxiety and dizziness are co-morbid symptoms in a larger percentage of pati
ents than would be expected from chance alone. Such patients have an increa
sed handicap and poorer prognosis, In this review, we discuss the interface
between Vestibular disorders and anxiety disorders. The two conditions are
functionally related via both somatopsychic and psychosomatic mechanisms,
and are linked via overlapping neural circuits that include monoaminergic p
athways and the parabrachial nucleus network. An alternative conceptualizat
ion to the common notion of 'psychogenic' dizziness is presented. Implicati
ons for patient management are discussed, Curr Opin Neurol 14:41-46, (C) 20
01 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.