MAOA and panic disorder: From a neurobiological standpoint, the excess of serotonin which would result from increased methylation of MAO-A would serve to decrease the activation of areas of the brain involved in the avoidance and fear responses, as well as in the heightened autonomic response characteristic of panic attacks, such as the dorsal PAG [210]; this would allow for more rostral areas (e.g., PFC, septum-hippocampus, and amygdala) to be activated and facilitate a more adaptive response [211].