The interest in the use of non-invasive brain stimulation for enhancing neural functions and reducing symptoms in anxiety disorders is growing. Based on the DSM-V classification for anxiety disorders, we examined all available research using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. A systematic literature search conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar databases provided 26 results: 12 sham-controlled studies and 15 not sham-controlled studies. With regard to the latter sub-group of studies, 9 were case reports, and 6 open label studies. Overall, our work provides preliminary evidence that both, excitatory stimulation of the left prefrontal cortex and inhibitory stimulation of the right prefrontal cortex can reduce symptom severity in anxiety disorders. The current results are discussed in the light of a model for the treatment for anxiety disorders via non-invasive brain stimulation, which is based on up-/downregulation mechanisms and might serve as guide for future systematic investigations in the field.

使用非侵入性脑刺激来增强神经功能和减轻焦虑症症状的兴趣正在增长。基于焦虑症的DSM-V分类，我们检查了使用重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）和经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）来治疗特定恐惧症，社交焦虑症，恐慌症，广场恐惧症和全身性疾病的所有可用研究焦虑症。在PubMed和Google Scholar数据库中进行的系统文献检索提供了26个结果：12个假对照研究和15个非假对照研究。关于后一组研究，有9例为病例报告，有6项为开放性研究。总体而言，我们的工作提供了初步证据，左前额叶皮层的兴奋性刺激和右前额叶皮层的抑制性刺激可以降低焦虑症的症状严重程度。根据通过无创性脑刺激治疗焦虑症的模型对当前结果进行了讨论，该模型基于上/下调机制，并且可以作为该领域未来系统研究的指南。