A 34-year-old woman presents with a six-month history of persistent worry, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, and difficulty concentrating. She describes feeling constantly "on edge" and reports heart palpitations, muscle tension, and insomnia. Physical examination reveals an elevated resting heart rate of 96 bpm and mildly elevated blood pressure. Her PMHNP is discussing the neurobiological underpinnings of her anxiety symptoms with a colleague. Which of the following best describes the role of the locus coeruleus noradrenergic system in this patient's presentation?