Soria CA, Remedi C, Núñez DA, et al. Impact of alprazolam in allostatic load and neurocognition of patients with anxiety disorders and chronic stress (GEMA): observational study protocol. BMJ Open 2015;5:e007231. There is an error in figure 2 legend of this manuscript. The correct figure legend is:
Figure 2 Upper panel: Repeated stress (S-blue) conditions plus accumulation of allostatic loads (AL-green) result in chronic stress, and with time loss of the individual resilience (R-red) levels. Anxiety (A-yellow) emerges as a reaction of an excessive stress applied to the body. Under chronic stress, cognitive resources are impaired and with it the possibilities of the affected subject to maintain its quality of life. Consequently, the affected live with a neurobiological environment poorly efficient to solve the daily challenges of life. Middle panel: With a short-term anxiolytic use of alprazolam, symptoms are reduced but demands of treatment persist, as well as the impact of the AL, and the decay of R, are not being significantly modified. Lower panel: With prolonged use of low-dose alprazolam anti-stress biochemical effects, plus a consequent increase of cognitive functions, may allow the progressive recovering of R, shorten S duration, and may further reduce the impact of AL. Under these new biological conditions the subject increased its chances to seek for an improved quality of life and may thereof shorten the demand of palliative medication.