The brain depends on a steady supply of choline. If anxiety keeps the brain in a prolonged state of alert, the researchers suggest it may raise the demand for choline-related compounds faster than the brain can replace them.

Why Choline Matters

Choline helps build cell membranes and supports brain processes involved in memory, mood regulation, and muscle control. It is also linked to acetylcholine, a chemical messenger important for learning and attention.

The body can make small amounts of choline, but most of it must come from food. Good dietary sources include eggs, salmon, meat, poultry, soybeans, and some cruciferous vegetables. Previous research has found that most people in the United States do not get the recommended amount.Choline is found in a variety of protein-rich and plant-based foods. Some of the best sources include egg yolks, beef liver, beef, chicken, fish such as salmon, soybeans, and milk. 

Anxiety has become one of the most visible mental health problems in the United States, showing up not only in clinics but also in schools, workplaces, and everyday family life. Although therapy and medication can help many people, anxiety disorders often go untreated, and even those who receive care do not always recover fully.

A new UC Davis Health study points to a possible biological clue: people with anxiety disorders appear to have lower levels of choline, an essential nutrient involved in brain function.

The clearest finding was an 8% average reduction in choline-containing compounds in the brains of people with anxiety disorders. The difference was especially consistent in the prefrontal cortex, a region involved in planning, emotional control, decision making, and regulating behavior.

“. In anxiety disorders, that balance can break down. Everyday concerns may begin to feel urgent, threatening, or impossible to control.

The study also points to the role of norepinephrine, a chemical involved in the body’s fight-or-flight response. In people with anxiety disorders, this arousal system is often elevated. The researchers suggest that long-term activation of these stress systems may affect membrane metabolism, methylation reactions, and other choline-related processes in the brain.

Richard Maddock, senior author of the study, is a psychiatrist and research professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He is also a researcher at the UC Davis Imaging Research Center, which uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study brain health.

“Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting about 30% of adults. They can be debilitating for people, and many people do not receive adequate treatment,” Maddock said.

Common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobias.

A Window Into the Living Brain

The researchers used findings from 1H-MRS, a method that works inside an MRI scanner. Unlike standard MRI, which produces images of brain structure, 1H-MRS measures chemical signatures in brain tissue.

Fried Eggs Pan

Choline is found in a variety of protein-rich and plant-based foods. Some of the best sources include egg yolks, beef liver, beef, chicken, fish such as salmon, soybeans, and milk. 

Maddock had previously seen low choline levels in studies of people with panic disorder. Even so, the size and consistency of the new finding surprised him.

“An 8% lower amount doesn’t sound like that much, but in the brain it’s significant,” Maddock said.