A great deal of research aims to identify risk factors related to individual vulnerability to develop stress-induced psychopathologies. Here, we summarize evidence that point at anxiety trait as a significant contributor to inter-individual differences in stress-vulnerability. Specifically, we underscore high anxiety trait as a key vulnerability phenotype. Highly anxious individuals show both behavioral alterations and cognitive deficits, along with more reactive physiological stress responses. We discuss efforts and progress towards the identification of genetic variants and polygenetic scores that explain differences in trait anxiety and vulnerability to stress. We then summarize molecular alterations in the brain of individuals with high anxiety trait that can help explaining the increased vulnerability to stress of these individuals. Variation in such systems can act as risk factors, which in combination with severe/prolonged stressful life events can pave the way towards the development of depression. Our viewpoint implies that the consideration of high anxiety trait as a key vulnerability phenotype in stress research can support the overall aim to obtain improved or novel therapeutic approaches.

大量研究旨在确定与个体易感性相关的风险因素，以发展压力诱发的精神病学。在这里，我们总结了指出焦虑特质的重要证据，这些特质是造成个体间压力脆弱性差异的重要原因。具体而言，我们强调高焦虑性状是关键的易感性表型。高度焦虑的人表现出行为改变和认知缺陷，以及更多的反应性生理应激反应。我们讨论了努力的工作和在鉴定遗传变异和多基因评分方面的进展，这些变异解释了性状焦虑和压力易感性方面的差异。然后，我们总结了具有高度焦虑性状的人的大脑中的分子变化，可以帮助解释这些人对压力的脆弱性增加。这种系统的变化可以作为危险因素，与严重/长期的压力性生活事件相结合，可以为抑郁症的发展铺平道路。我们的观点表明，在压力研究中将高焦虑性作为关键脆弱性表型的考虑可以支持获得改进或新颖治疗方法的总体目标。