How study of respiratory physiology aided our understanding of abnormal brain function in panic disorder.

PubMed

Sinha, S; Papp, L A; Gorman, J M

2000-12-01

There is a substantial body of literature demonstrating that stimulation of respiration (hyperventilation) is a common event in panic disorder patients during panic attack episodes. Further, a number of abnormalities in respiration, such as enhanced CO2 sensitivity, have been detected in panic patients. This led some to posit that there is a fundamental abnormality in the physiological mechanisms that control breathing in panic disorder and that this abnormality is central to illness etiology. More recently, however, evidence has accumulated suggesting that respiratory physiology is normal in panic patients and that their tendency to hyperventilate and to react with panic to respiratory stimulants like CO2 represents the triggering of a hypersensitive fear network. The fear network anatomy is taken from preclinical studies that have identified the brain pathways that subserve the acquisition and maintenance of conditioned fear. Included are the amygdala and its brain stem projections, the hippocampus, and the medial prefrontal cortex. Although attempts to image this system in patients during panic attacks have been difficult, the theory that the fear network is operative and hyperactive in panic patients explains why both medication and psychosocial therapies are clearly effective. Studies of respiration in panic disorder are an excellent example of the way in which peripheral markers have guided researchers in developing a more complete picture of the neural events that occur in psychopathological states.

Sensitivity to carbon dioxide in subjects with a single lifetime panic attack: possible clinical "bedside" predictive test for panic disorder after a first attack.

PubMed

Berzak, Elina; Reznik, Mila; Narsia, Oxana; Benjamin, Jonathan

2004-01-01

There is currently no way of knowing whether a patient who has recently had a single panic attack has incipient panic disorder. Sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2) is lower in healthy volunteers than in panic disorder patients. If this is also true of people who experience a single lifetime panic attack, it could be used as a prognostic test. Subjects with a single lifetime panic attack and subjects with panic disorder received an inhalation of 35% CO2. Subjects completed the panic symptoms scale (PSS), and also stated whether they considered that they had experienced an attack. None of 14 subjects with a single lifetime panic attack, compared to 7 of 17 subjects with panic disorder (P=.009), had an attack. The PSS also distinguished between the groups. The 35% CO2 challenge warrants further investigation as a predictive test after a first panic attack.

Reexperiencing symptoms, dissociation, and avoidance behaviors in daily life of patients with PTSD and patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Pfaltz, Monique C; Michael, Tanja; Meyer, Andrea H; Wilhelm, Frank H

2013-08-01

Panic attacks are frequently perceived as life threatening. Panic disorder (PD) patients may therefore experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors explored this in 28 healthy controls, 17 PTSD patients, and 24 PD patients with agoraphobia who completed electronic diaries 36 times during 1 week. Patient groups frequently reported dissociation as well as thoughts, memories, and reliving of their trauma or panic attacks. PTSD patients reported more trauma/panic attack thoughts (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 2.9) and memories (IRR = 2.8) than PD patients. Patient groups relived their trauma or panic attacks equally frequently, and reported comparable bodily reactions and distress associated with trauma or panic attack memories. Clinical groups avoided trauma or panic attack reminders more often than healthy controls (avoidance of trauma- or panic attack-related thoughts (IRR = 8.0); avoidance of things associated with the trauma or panic attack (IRR = 40.7). PD patients avoided trauma or panic attack reminders less often than PTSD patients (avoidance of trauma- or panic attack-related thoughts [IRR = 2.5]; avoidance of things associated with the trauma or panic attack [IRR = 4.1]), yet these differences were nonsignificant when controlling for functional impairment. In conclusion, trauma-like symptoms are common in PD with agoraphobia and panic attacks may be processed similarly as trauma in PTSD. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Phenomenology of panic attacks: a descriptive study of panic disorder patients' self-reports.

PubMed

Aronson, T A; Logue, C M

1988-01-01

The phenomenology of panic disorder and panic attacks was systematically assessed in 46 consecutive patients. The results suggest that DSM-III criteria include several symptoms that are not frequently present during a panic attack and that DSM-III's characterization of a panic attack is imprecise and misleading. Panic attacks were found to vary in intensity, frequency, spontaneity, and associated symptoms. A panic attack typically presents as a unified symptom complex of psychic anxiety and multiple somatic symptoms in multiple body systems. It occurs in a crescendolike pattern, is self-limited, and often leaves the subject weak or shaken. The temporal course as much as the symptomatic presentation defines a panic attack.

Use of the Panic Attack Questionnaire-IV to assess non-clinical panic attacks and limited symptom panic attacks in student and community samples.

PubMed

Norton, Peter J; Zvolensky, Michael J; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O; Cox, Brian J; Norton, G Ron

2008-10-01

Since its development in the mid-1980s, the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ) has been one of the more, if not the most, commonly used self-report tools for assessing panic attacks. The usage of the instrument, however, has come amid potential concerns that instructions and descriptions may lead to an over-estimate of the prevalence of panic attacks. Furthermore, the instrument has not been revised since 1992, despite changes in DSM-IV criteria and more recent developments in the understanding of panic attacks. As a result, this paper describes a revision of the PAQ to improve the instruction and descriptive set, and to fully assess features of panic derived from recent conceptualizations. Students meeting DSM-IV panic attack criteria and those endorsing panic attacks, but not meeting criteria, showed few differences with the exception that those not meeting DSM-IV criteria typically reported a longer onset-to-peak intensity time than did Panickers. Results were cross-validated and extended using an independent Community Sample. A full descriptive phenomenology of panic attacks is described, and future directions for studying panic attacks using the PAQ are presented.

Panic attacks and panic disorder in a population-based sample of active Canadian military personnel.

PubMed

Kinley, D Jolene; Walker, John R; Mackenzie, Corey S; Sareen, Jitender

2011-01-01

The factors contributing to psychiatric problems among military personnel, particularly for panic, are unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of panic disorder and panic attacks in the Canadian military. Statistics Canada and the Department of National Defense conducted the Canadian Community Health Survey-Canadian Forces Supplement in 2002 (May to December) with a representative sample of active Canadian military personnel (aged 16-54 years; N = 8,441; response rate, 81.5%). Comparisons were made between respondents with no past-year panic attacks, panic attacks without panic disorder, and panic disorder on measures of DSM-IV mental disorders, as well as validated measures of disability, distress, suicidal ideation, perceived need for mental health treatment, and mental health service use. Lifetime exposure to combat operations, witnessing of atrocities, and deployments were also assessed. Panic disorder and panic attacks were common in the military population, with past-year prevalence estimates of 1.8% and 7.0%, respectively. Both panic disorder and panic attacks were associated with increased odds of all mental disorders assessed, suicidal ideation, 2-week disability, and distress. Perceived need for mental health treatment and service use were common in individuals with panic attacks and panic disorder (perceived need: 46.3% for panic attacks, 89.6% for panic disorder; service use: 32.5% for panic attacks, 74.5% for panic disorder). Panic attacks and panic disorder in the military are associated with outcomes that could be detrimental to well-being and work performance, and early detection of panic in this population could help reduce these negative outcomes. © Copyright 2011 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Panic disorder, panic attacks and panic attack symptoms across race-ethnic groups: results of the collaborative psychiatric epidemiology studies.

PubMed

Asnaani, Anu; Gutner, Cassidy A; Hinton, Devon E; Hofmann, Stefan G

2009-01-01

The current study investigates race-ethnic differences in rates of panic disorder, panic attacks and certain panic attack symptoms by jointly combining three major national epidemiological databases. The compared groups were White, African American, Latino and Asian. The White group had significantly higher rates of panic disorder, and of many panic symptoms, including palpitations, as compared to the African American, Asian and Latino groups. Several expected race-ethnic differences were not found. An explanation for these findings are adduced, and suggestions are given for future studies so that possible ethnic-racial differences in panic disorder, panic attacks and panic attack symptoms can be investigated in a more rigorous manner.

Somatic panic-attack equivalents in a community sample of Rwandan widows who survived the 1994 genocide

PubMed Central

Hagengimana, Athanase; Hinton, Devon; Bird, Bruce; Pollack, Mark; Pitman, Roger K.

2009-01-01

The present study is the first to attempt to determine rates of panic attacks, especially ‘somatically focused’ panic attacks, panic disorder, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression levels in a population of Rwandans traumatized by the 1994 genocide. The following measures were utilized: the Rwandan Panic-Disorder Survey (RPDS); the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ); and the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Forty of 100 Rwandan widows suffered somatically focused panic attacks during the previous 4 weeks. Thirty-five (87%) of those having panic attacks suffered panic disorder, making the rate of panic disorder for the entire sample 35%. Rwandan widows with panic attacks had greater psychopathology on all measures. Somatically focused panic-attack subtypes seem to constitute a key response to trauma in the Rwandan population. Future studies of traumatized non-Western populations should carefully assess not only somatoform disorder but also somatically focused panic attacks. PMID:12581815

Childhood internalizing and externalizing problems predict the onset of clinical panic attacks over adolescence: the TRAILS study.

PubMed

Mathyssek, Christina M; Olino, Thomas M; Verhulst, Frank C; van Oort, Floor V A

2012-01-01

Panic attacks are a source of individual suffering and are an independent risk factor for later psychopathology. However, much less is known about risk factors for the development of panic attacks, particularly during adolescence when the incidence of panic attacks increases dramatically. We examined whether internalizing and externalizing problems in childhood predict the onset of panic attacks in adolescence. This study is part of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch longitudinal population cohort study (N = 1,584). Internalizing and Externalizing Problems were collected using the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and the parent-report Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at baseline (age 10-12). At age 18-20, DSM-IV defined panic attacks since baseline were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). We investigated whether early adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems predicted panic attacks between ages 10-20 years, using survival analysis in univariate and multivariate models. There were N = 314 (19.8%) cases who experienced at least one DSM-IV defined panic attack during adolescence and N = 18 (1.2%) who developed panic disorder during adolescence. In univariate analyses, CBCL Total Problems, Internalizing Problems and three of the eight syndrome scales predicted panic attack onset, while on the YSR all broad-band problem scales and each narrow-band syndrome scale predicted panic attack onset. In multivariate analyses, CBCL Social Problems (HR 1.19, p<.05), and YSR Thought Problems (HR 1.15, p<.05) and Social Problems (HR 1.26, p<.01) predicted panic attack onset. Risk indicators of panic attack include the wide range of internalizing and externalizing problems. Yet, when adjusted for co-occurring problem behaviors, Social Problems were the most consistent risk factor for panic attack onsets in adolescence.

Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder in the American Indian Community

PubMed Central

Sawchuk, Craig N.; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Noonan, Carolyn; Craner, Julia R.; Goldberg, Jack; Manson, Spero; Buchwald, Dedra

2016-01-01

Panic disorder is a common mental health condition, but little is known about panic disorder in non-Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology, clinical features, and comorbidities of panic attacks and panic disorder in two large American Indian (AI) tribes (N = 3,084). A culturally-adapted version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed panic attacks, panic disorder, and various psychiatric comorbidities. After adjusting for age, gender, and tribe, linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare AIs with panic disorder to those with panic attacks only on clinical characteristics and panic symptoms. Approximately 8.5% (N = 234) of American Indians reported a lifetime history of panic attacks. Among individuals with panic attacks, comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder was higher in females (p = 0.03) and comorbid alcohol-related disorders were higher in males (p ≤ 0.001). The prevalence and clinical features of panic attacks and panic disorder in American Indians were similar to epidemiologic studies with majority populations. However, in contrast to earlier research, panic symptoms were similar in both males and females, and different patterns of comorbidity emerged. Future research should examine the availability and accessibility of evidence-based panic treatments for this traditionally underserved population. PMID:27720578

Panic attacks and panic disorder in the American Indian community.

PubMed

Sawchuk, Craig N; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Noonan, Carolyn; Craner, Julia R; Goldberg, Jack; Manson, Spero; Buchwald, Dedra

2017-05-01

Panic disorder is a common mental health condition, but little is known about panic disorder in non-Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology, clinical features, and comorbidities of panic attacks and panic disorder in two large American Indian (AI) tribes (N=3084). A culturally-adapted version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed panic attacks, panic disorder, and various psychiatric comorbidities. After adjusting for age, gender, and tribe, linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare AIs with panic disorder to those with panic attacks only on clinical characteristics and panic symptoms. Approximately 8.5% (N=234) of American Indians reported a lifetime history of panic attacks. Among individuals with panic attacks, comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder was higher in females (p=0.03) and comorbid alcohol-related disorders were higher in males (p≤0.001). The prevalence and clinical features of panic attacks and panic disorder in American Indians were similar to epidemiologic studies with majority populations. However, in contrast to earlier research, panic symptoms were similar in both males and females, and different patterns of comorbidity emerged. Future research should examine the availability and accessibility of evidence-based panic treatments for this traditionally underserved population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sub-threshold panic attacks and agoraphobic avoidance increase comorbidity of mental disorders: results from an adult general population sample.

PubMed

Pané-Farré, Christiane A; Fenske, Kristin; Stender, Jan P; Meyer, Christian; John, Ulrich; Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Hapke, Ulfert; Hamm, Alfons O

2013-06-01

Full-blown panic attacks are frequently associated with other mental disorders. Most comorbidity analyses did not discriminate between isolated panic attacks vs. panic attacks that occurred in the context of a panic disorder and rarely evaluated the impact of comorbid agoraphobia. Moreover, there are no larger scale epidemiological studies regarding the influence of sub-threshold panic attacks. 4075 German-speaking respondents aged 18-64 were interviewed using the fully structured Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Limited symptom attacks, isolated panic attacks, and panic disorder were associated with other lifetime DSM-IV disorders with monotonically increasing odds and increasing tendency for multiple comorbidities across the three groups. The presence of agoraphobia was associated with more frequent comorbidity in all panic subgroups and also in persons who never experienced panic attacks. The present study suggests that populations with isolated or limited symptom should be carefully attended to in clinical practice, especially if agoraphobia is present. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The panic attack-posttraumatic stress disorder model: applicability to orthostatic panic among Cambodian refugees.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Hofmann, Stefan G; Pitman, Roger K; Pollack, Mark H; Barlow, David H

2008-01-01

This article examines the ability of the panic attack-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) model to predict how panic attacks are generated and how panic attacks worsen PTSD. The article does so by determining the validity of the panic attack-PTSD model in respect to one type of panic attack among traumatized Cambodian refugees: orthostatic panic (OP) attacks (i.e. panic attacks generated by moving from lying or sitting to standing). Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, the authors conducted two studies to explore the validity of the panic attack-PTSD model as applied to OP patients (i.e. patients with at least one episode of OP in the previous month). In Study 1, the panic attack-PTSD model accurately indicated how OP is seemingly generated: among OP patients (N = 58), orthostasis-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions predicted OP severity beyond a measure of anxious-depressive distress (Symptom Checklist-90-R subscales), and OP severity significantly mediated the effect of anxious-depressive distress on Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale severity. In Study 2, as predicted by the panic attack-PTSD model, OP had a mediational role in respect to the effect of treatment on PTSD severity: among Cambodian refugees with PTSD and comorbid OP who participated in a cognitive behavioural therapy study (N = 56), improvement in PTSD severity was partially mediated by improvement in OP severity.

Smoking Behavior and Alcohol Consumption in Individuals With Panic Attacks

PubMed Central

Mathew, Amanda R.; Norton, Peter J.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Buckner, Julia D.; Smits, Jasper A. J.

2011-01-01

Individuals with anxiety often report greater smoking and drinking behaviors relative to those without a history of anxiety. In particular, smoking and alcohol use have been directly implicated among individuals experiencing panic attacks, diagnosed with panic disorder, or high on panic-relevant risk factors such as anxiety sensitivity. Less is known, however, about specific features of panic that may differentiate among those who do or do not use cigarettes or alcohol. The purpose of the current study was to replicate previous research findings of an association between panic symptomatology, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, as well as extend findings by examining whether specific symptoms of panic attacks differentiated among those who do or do not use cigarettes or alcohol. Participants (n = 489) completed the Panic Attack Questionnaire-IV, a highly detailed assessment of panic attacks and symptoms, as well as self-report measures of smoking history and alcohol use. Consistent with previous research, participants who reported a history of panic attacks (n = 107) were significantly more likely to report current daily or lifetime daily cigarette smoking, and significantly greater hazardous or harmful alcohol use than participants with no panic history (n = 382). Although smoking and hazardous alcohol use were highly associated regardless of panic status, participants with panic attacks showed elevated hazardous alcohol use after controlling for daily or lifetime smoking. Surprisingly, although participants who reported having had at least one panic attack were more likely to smoke, panic attack symptoms, intensity, or frequency did not differentiate panickers who did or did not smoke. Furthermore, panic-related variables were not shown to differentially relate to problematic drinking among panickers. Implications for understanding the complex relationship between panic attacks and smoking and drinking behaviors are discussed. PMID:21915160

Dimensional structure of bodily panic attack symptoms and their specific connections to panic cognitions, anxiety sensitivity and claustrophobic fears.

PubMed

Drenckhan, I; Glöckner-Rist, A; Rist, F; Richter, J; Gloster, A T; Fehm, L; Lang, T; Alpers, G W; Hamm, A O; Fydrich, T; Kircher, T; Arolt, V; Deckert, J; Ströhle, A; Wittchen, H-U; Gerlach, A L

2015-06-01

Previous studies of the dimensional structure of panic attack symptoms have mostly identified a respiratory and a vestibular/mixed somatic dimension. Evidence for additional dimensions such as a cardiac dimension and the allocation of several of the panic attack symptom criteria is less consistent. Clarifying the dimensional structure of the panic attack symptoms should help to specify the relationship of potential risk factors like anxiety sensitivity and fear of suffocation to the experience of panic attacks and the development of panic disorder. In an outpatient multicentre study 350 panic patients with agoraphobia rated the intensity of each of the ten DSM-IV bodily symptoms during a typical panic attack. The factor structure of these data was investigated with nonlinear confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The identified bodily symptom dimensions were related to panic cognitions, anxiety sensitivity and fear of suffocation by means of nonlinear structural equation modelling (SEM). CFA indicated a respiratory, a vestibular/mixed somatic and a cardiac dimension of the bodily symptom criteria. These three factors were differentially associated with specific panic cognitions, different anxiety sensitivity facets and suffocation fear. Taking into account the dimensional structure of panic attack symptoms may help to increase the specificity of the associations between the experience of panic attack symptoms and various panic related constructs.

Psychosis risk syndrome comorbid with panic attack disorder in a cannabis-abusing patient affected by Arnold-Chiari malformation type I.

PubMed

Del Casale, Antonio; Serata, Daniele; Rapinesi, Chiara; Simonetti, Alessio; Tamorri, Stefano Maria; Comparelli, Anna; De Carolis, Antonella; Savoja, Valeria; Kotzalidis, Georgios D; Sani, Gabriele; Tatarelli, Roberto; Girardi, Paolo

2012-01-01

An 18-year-old man with Arnold-Chiari malformation (ACM) type I developed sudden panic attacks. He also manifested sleep disorder, cannabis abuse, and psychosis-risk syndrome (PRS). Although with average-superior intelligence, he had executive dysfunction. This prompted us to explore the relation between ACM, cannabis abuse, PRS and panic disorder. We report the case and briefly review the literature focusing on ACM and psychiatric disorders. Behavior therapy led to gradual abstinence from cannabis with disappearance of anxiety symptoms. The patient is currently well and maintained on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Locus coeruleus compression and cannabis abuse may have triggered the symptoms, and the latter might also be PRS-related. PRS and anxiety symptoms should be explored in ACM patients to allow better prevention of psychosis and anxiety disorders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Predict the Onset of Clinical Panic Attacks over Adolescence: The TRAILS Study

PubMed Central

Mathyssek, Christina M.; Olino, Thomas M.; Verhulst, Frank C.; van Oort, Floor V. A.

2012-01-01

Background Panic attacks are a source of individual suffering and are an independent risk factor for later psychopathology. However, much less is known about risk factors for the development of panic attacks, particularly during adolescence when the incidence of panic attacks increases dramatically. We examined whether internalizing and externalizing problems in childhood predict the onset of panic attacks in adolescence. Method This study is part of the TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch longitudinal population cohort study (N = 1,584). Internalizing and Externalizing Problems were collected using the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and the parent-report Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at baseline (age 10–12). At age 18–20, DSM-IV defined panic attacks since baseline were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). We investigated whether early adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems predicted panic attacks between ages 10–20 years, using survival analysis in univariate and multivariate models. Results There were N = 314 (19.8%) cases who experienced at least one DSM-IV defined panic attack during adolescence and N = 18 (1.2%) who developed panic disorder during adolescence. In univariate analyses, CBCL Total Problems, Internalizing Problems and three of the eight syndrome scales predicted panic attack onset, while on the YSR all broad-band problem scales and each narrow-band syndrome scale predicted panic attack onset. In multivariate analyses, CBCL Social Problems (HR 1.19, p<.05), and YSR Thought Problems (HR 1.15, p<.05) and Social Problems (HR 1.26, p<.01) predicted panic attack onset. Conclusion Risk indicators of panic attack include the wide range of internalizing and externalizing problems. Yet, when adjusted for co-occurring problem behaviors, Social Problems were the most consistent risk factor for panic attack onsets in adolescence. PMID:23251576

A Brief Interview to Detect Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder in Emergency Department Patients with Cardiopulmonary Complaints.

PubMed

Sung, Sharon C; Rush, A John; Earnest, Arul; Lim, Leslie E C; Pek, Maeve P P; Choi, Joen M F; Ng, Magdalene P K; Ong, Marcus E H

2018-01-01

Patients with panic-related anxiety often initially present to the emergency department (ED) complaining of respiratory or cardiac symptoms, but rates of detection of panic symptoms by ED physicians remain low. This study was undertaken to evaluate the relevance of panic attacks and panic disorder in ED patients who present with cardiopulmonary symptoms and to determine whether a brief symptom-based tool could be constructed to assist in rapid recognition of panic-related anxiety in the ED setting. English-speaking adult ED patients with a chief complaint of palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, or difficulty breathing were evaluated for the presence of panic attacks and panic disorder with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders. Participants completed self-report measures to assess panic-related symptoms, comorbid psychiatric conditions, health-related disability, and health service use. In this sample (N=200), 23.5% had panic attacks and 23.0% had panic disorder. Both groups reported higher rates of panic attack symptoms, greater psychiatric comorbidity, greater health-related disability, and higher rates of ED and mental health service use compared with those without either condition. A brief 7-item tool consisting of panic symptoms identified patients with panic attacks or panic disorder with 85% accuracy (area under the curve=0.90, sensitivity=82%, specificity=88%). Patients with panic attacks or panic disorder commonly present to the ED, but often go unrecognized. A brief 7-item clinician rating scale accurately identifies these patients among those ED patients presenting with cardiopulmonary complaints.

[Psychosomatic troubles in cardiology].

PubMed

Renard, M

1996-10-01

Mental stress is a disagreeable feeling accompanied by sympathetic overactivity which may mimic heart disorder (panic attack, ...) induce angina pectoris in coronary patients or contribute to trigger acute myocardial infarction. It may be reproduced by mental stress tests (arithmetic test, ...) and used as diagnostic procedure in coronary patients.

Panic Disorder

MedlinePlus

... your head? No. Most likely, you had a panic attack. Panic attacks can last from minutes to hours. They may ... made after a person experiences at least 2 panic attacks that occur without reason and are followed by ...

fMRI amygdala activation during a spontaneous panic attack in a patient with panic disorder.

PubMed

Pfleiderer, Bettina; Zinkirciran, Sariye; Arolt, Volker; Heindel, Walter; Deckert, Juergen; Domschke, Katharina

2007-01-01

Previous studies on neuronal activation correlates of panic attacks were mostly based on challenge tests, sensory-related stimulation or fear conditioning in healthy subjects. In the present study, we report on a female patient with panic disorder experiencing a spontaneous panic attack under an auditory habituation paradigm in the last stimulation block with sine tones captured with fMRI at 3T. The panic attack was associated with a significantly increased activity in the right amygdala. This is the first report on neuronal activation correlates of a spontaneous panic attack in a patient with panic disorder as measured by fMRI, which lends further support to a pivotal role of the amygdala in the pathogenesis of the disease.

A closer look at the relationships between panic attacks, emergency department visits and non-cardiac chest pain.

PubMed

Foldes-Busque, Guillaume; Denis, Isabelle; Poitras, Julien; Fleet, Richard P; Archambault, Patrick; Dionne, Clermont E

2017-01-01

This study examined the prevalence of emergency department visits prompted by panic attacks in patients with non-cardiac chest pain. A validated structured telephone interview was used to assess panic attacks and their association with the emergency department consultation in 1327 emergency department patients with non-cardiac chest pain. Patients reported at least one panic attack in the past 6 months in 34.5 per cent (95% confidence interval: 32.0%-37.1%) of cases, and 77.1 per cent (95% confidence interval: 73.0%-80.7%) of patients who reported panic attacks had visited the emergency department with non-cardiac chest pain following a panic attack. These results indicate that panic attacks may explain a significant proportion of emergency department visits for non-cardiac chest pain.

The Weight of Cognitions in Panic: The Link between Misinterpretations and Panic Attacks

PubMed Central

De Cort, Klara; Hermans, Dirk; Noortman, Daphne; Arends, Wiesje; Griez, Eric J. L.; Schruers, Koen R. J.

2013-01-01

In cognitive theory it is hypothesized that panic attacks are provoked by catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily sensations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of associated word pairs referring to catastrophic thinking (e.g. palpitations-heart attack) in producing panic attacks. Patients with PD (n = 20), patients with mixed anxiety disorders (n = 20), and a healthy control group (n = 30) participated in the present study. To enhance ecological validity we first conducted a stimulus validation experiment. Subsequently, nine suitable panic and neutral word pairs were presented in block to the participants. Anxiety levels were assessed before and after the presentation. PD patients were more anxious when reading these word pairs, compared to neutral word pairs. However, none of the participants experienced a panic attack upon reading the word pairs. From the present results it seems that catastrophic thinking is rather related to the anticipatory anxiety for panic attacks, but not necessarily with the occurrence of the panic attacks themselves. PMID:23940559

Prediction of first episode of panic attack among white-collar workers.

PubMed

Watanabe, Akira; Nakao, Kazuhisa; Tokuyama, Madoka; Takeda, Masatoshi

2005-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate a longitudinal matrix of the etiology for first-episode panic attack among white-collar workers. A path model was designed for this purpose. A 5-year, open-cohort study was carried out in a Japanese company. To evaluate the risk factors associated with the onset of a first episode of panic attack, the odds ratios of a new episode of panic attack were calculated by logistic regression. The path model contained five predictor variables: gender difference, overprotection, neuroticism, lifetime history of major depression, and recent stressful life events. The logistic regression analysis indicated that a person with a lifetime history of major depression and recent stressful life events had a fivefold and a threefold higher risk of panic attacks at follow up, respectively. The path model for the prediction of a first episode of panic attack fitted the data well. However, this model presented low accountability for the variance in the ultimate dependent variables, the first episode of panic attack. Three predictors (neuroticism, lifetime history of major depression, and recent stressful life events) had a direct effect on the risk for a first episode of panic attack, whereas gender difference and overprotection had no direct effect. The present model could not fully predict first episodes of panic attack in white-collar workers. To make a path model for the prediction of the first episode of panic attack, other strong predictor variables, which were not surveyed in the present study, are needed. It is suggested that genetic variables are among the other strong predictor variables. A new path model containing genetic variables (e.g. family history etc.) will be needed to predict the first episode of panic attack.

Induction of panic attack by stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamus.

PubMed

Wilent, W Bryan; Oh, Michael Y; Buetefisch, Cathrin M; Bailes, Julian E; Cantella, Diane; Angle, Cindy; Whiting, Donald M

2010-06-01

Panic attacks are sudden debilitating attacks of intense distress often accompanied by physical symptoms such as shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Numerous brain regions, hormones, and neurotransmitter systems are putatively involved, but the etiology and neurocircuitry of panic attacks is far from established. One particular brain region of interest is the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). In cats and rats, electrical stimulation delivered to the VMH has been shown to evoke an emotional "panic attack-like" escape behavior, and in humans, stimulation targeting nuclei just posterior or anterior to the VMH has reportedly induced panic attacks. The authors report findings obtained in an awake patient undergoing bilateral implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes into the hypothalamus that strongly implicates the VMH as being critically involved in the genesis of panic attacks. First, as the stimulating electrode progressed deeper into the VMH, the intensity of stimulation required to evoke an attack systematically decreased; second, while stimulation of the VMH in either hemisphere evoked panic, stimulation that appeared to be in the center of the VMH was more potent. Thus, this evidence supports the role of the VMH in the induction of panic attacks purported by animal studies.

Characteristics of individuals meeting criteria for new onset panic attacks following exposure to a typhoon

PubMed Central

Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Berenz, Erin C.; Acierno, Ron; Tran, Trinh Luong; Trung, Lam Tu; Tam, Nguyen Thanh; Tuan, Tran; Buoi, La Thi; Ha, Tran Thu; Thach, Tran Duc; Amstadter, Ananda B.

2013-01-01

The association between trauma exposure and panic attacks has received increased attention over the past decade, with mounting evidence suggesting an overlapping etiologic pathway. This study examined the incidence of new onset panic attacks in 775 Vietnamese individuals in the 2–3 months following Typhoon Xangsane. Pre-typhoon (Wave 1) and post-typhoon (Wave 2) assessments were conducted, allowing for consideration of factors occurring prior to the typhoon in addition to typhoon-relevant responding. Of the 775 participants, 11.6% (n=90) met criteria for lifetime panic attack pre-typhoon and 2.8% (n=22) met post-typhoon panic attack criteria. Individuals with pre-typhoon panic were significantly older and reported less education compared to the no-panic group. Individuals in both panic groups were more likely to screen positive on a Wave1 psychiatric screening measure, endorse greater typhoon exposure and prior traumatic event exposure and were significantly more likely to meet DSM-IV criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MDD) post-typhoon compared with persons reporting no history of panic attacks. Pre and post-typhoon panic exhibited similar patterns across variables and both panic conditions were associated with the development of PTSD and MDD, suggesting that persons experiencing panic attacks may represent a vulnerable population in need of early intervention services. PMID:23778303

Brain Circulation during Panic Attack: A Transcranial Doppler Study with Clomipramine Challenge.

PubMed

Rotella, Francesco; Marinoni, Marinella; Lejeune, Francesca; Alari, Fabiana; Depinesi, Daniela; Cosci, Fiammetta; Faravelli, Carlo

2014-01-01

Introduction. Cerebral blood flow has been well studied in patients with panic disorder, but only few studies analyzed the mechanisms underlying the onset of a panic attack. The aim of the present study was to monitor the cerebral hemodynamics modifications during a panic attack. Materials and Methods. 10 panic disorder patients with recent onset, fully drug naïve, were compared to 13 patients with panic disorder with a previous history of treatment and to 14 controls. A continuous bilateral monitoring of mean flow velocities in right and left middle cerebral arteries was performed by transcranial Doppler. Clomipramine was chosen as challenge. Results. Eight out of 10 patients drug naïve and 6 control subjects out of 13 had a full blown panic attack during the test, whereas none of the patients with a history of treatment panicked. The occurrence of a panic attack was accompanied by a rapid decrease of flow velocities in both right and left middle cerebral arteries. Discussion. The bilateral acute decrease of mean flow velocity during a panic attack suggests the vasoconstriction of the microcirculation of deep brain structures perfused by middle cerebral arteries and involved in the so-called "fear circuitry," thus suggesting that cerebral homeostatic dysfunctions seem to have a key role in the onset of a panic attack.

Recurrence of Panic Attacks after Influenza Vaccination: Two Case Reports.

PubMed

Kim, Han-Joon; Jeon, Sang-Won; Yoon, Ho-Kyoung

2016-11-30

Human influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. The influenza vaccination is recommended annually, but several adverse effects related to allergic reactions have been reported. Panic attacks are also known to occur, but no case of a panic attack adverse effect has been reported in South Korea. We present two cases of panic disorder patients whose symptoms were aggravated by the influenza vaccination. We assumed that dysregulation of T-lymphocytes in panic disorder patients could have a role in activating various kinds of cytokines and chemokines, which then can lead to panic attack aggravation.

Evaluating emotional sensitivity and tolerance factors in the prediction of panic-relevant responding to a biological challenge.

PubMed

Kutz, Amanda; Marshall, Erin; Bernstein, Amit; Zvolensky, Michael J

2010-01-01

The current study investigated anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance (Simons & Gaher, 2005), and discomfort intolerance (Schmidt, Richey, Cromer, & Buckner, 2007) in relation to panic-relevant responding (i.e., panic attack symptoms and panic-relevant cognitions) to a 10% carbon dioxide enriched air challenge. Participants were 216 adults (52.6% female; M(age)=22.4, SD=9.0). A series of hierarchical multiple regressions was conducted with covariates of negative affectivity and past year panic attack history in step one of the model, and anxiety sensitivity, discomfort intolerance, and distress tolerance entered simultaneously into step two. Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity, but not distress tolerance or discomfort intolerance, was significantly incrementally predictive of physical panic attack symptoms and cognitive panic attack symptoms. Additionally, anxiety sensitivity was significantly predictive of variance in panic attack status during the challenge. These findings emphasize the important, unique role of anxiety sensitivity in predicting risk for panic psychopathology, even when considered in the context of other theoretically relevant emotion vulnerability variables.

Panic Attack History and Smoking Topography

PubMed Central

Farris, Samantha G.; Brown, Lily A.; Goodwin, Renee D.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about panic attacks and puffing topography, a behavioral index of the value of smoking reinforcement. This study examined smoking style during the course of smoking of a single cigarette among adult daily smokers with and without a history of panic attacks. Method Participants (n = 124, Mage = 43.9, SD = 9.7; 44.4% female) were non-treatment seeking daily smokers. Lifetime panic attack history was assessed via diagnostic assessment; 28.2% (n = 35) of the sample had a panic attack history. Participants smoked one cigarette during an ad libitum smoking trial. Puff volume, duration, and inter-puff interval were measured using the Clinical Research Support System (CReSS) pocket device. Results Regression analyses revealed that panic attack status was not associated with significant differences in average puff volume, duration, or inter-puff interval. Multi-level modeling was used to examine puffing trajectories. Puff-level data revealed that there was a significant quadratic time x panic effect for puff volume and duration. Those with a panic attack history demonstrated relatively sustained levels of both puff volume and duration over time, whereas those without a history of panic attacks demonstrated an increase followed by a decrease in volume and duration over time. These effects were not accounted for by the presence of general psychopathology. Discussion Smokers with a panic attack history demonstrate more persistent efforts to self-regulate the delivery of nicotine, and thus may be at risk for continued smoking and dependence. Tailored treatment may be needed to address unique vulnerabilities among this group. PMID:28033542

Panic attack history and smoking topography.

PubMed

Farris, Samantha G; Brown, Lily A; Goodwin, Renee D; Zvolensky, Michael J

2017-02-01

Little is known about panic attacks and puffing topography, a behavioral index of the value of smoking reinforcement. This study examined smoking style during the course of smoking of a single cigarette among adult daily smokers with and without a history of panic attacks. Participants (n=124, M age =43.9, SD=9.7; 44.4% female) were non-treatment seeking daily smokers. Lifetime panic attack history was assessed via diagnostic assessment; 28.2% (n=35) of the sample had a panic attack history. Participants smoked one cigarette during an ad libitum smoking trial. Puff volume, duration, and inter-puff interval were measured using the Clinical Research Support System (CReSS) pocket device. Regression analyses revealed that panic attack status was not associated with significant differences in average puff volume, duration, or inter-puff interval. Multi-level modeling was used to examine puffing trajectories. Puff-level data revealed that there was a significant quadratic time x panic effect for puff volume and duration. Those with a panic attack history demonstrated relatively sustained levels of both puff volume and duration over time, whereas those without a history of panic attacks demonstrated an increase followed by a decrease in volume and duration over time. These effects were not accounted for by the presence of general psychopathology. Smokers with a panic attack history demonstrate more persistent efforts to self-regulate the delivery of nicotine, and thus may be at risk for continued smoking and dependence. Tailored treatment may be needed to address unique vulnerabilities among this group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Comparative analysis of phenomenology of paroxysms of atrial fibrillation and panic attacks].

PubMed

San'kova, T A; Solov'eva, A D; Nedostup, A V

2004-01-01

To study phenomenology of attacks of atrial fibrillation (AF) and to compare it with phenomenology of panic attacks for elucidation of pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation and for elaboration of rational therapeutic intervention including those aimed at correction of psychovegetative abnormalities. Patients with nonrheumatic paroxysmal AF (n=105) and 100 patients with panic attacks (n=100). Clinical, cardiological and neurological examination, analysis of patients complaints during attacks of AF, and comparison them with diagnostic criteria for panic attack. It was found that clinical picture of attacks of AF comprised vegetative, emotional and functional neurological phenomena similar to those characteristic for panic attacks. This similarity as well as positive therapeutic effect of clonazepam allowed to propose a novel pathogenic mechanism of AF attacks. Severity of psychovegetative disorders during paroxysm of AF could be evaluated by calculation of psychovegetative iudex: Psychovegetative index should be used for detection of panic attack-like component in clinical picture of AF paroxysm and thus for determination of indications for inclusion of vegetotropic drugs, e. g. clonazepam, in complex preventive therapy.

Comparative phenomenology of ataques de nervios, panic attacks, and panic disorder.

PubMed

Lewis-Fernández, Roberto; Guarnaccia, Peter J; Martínez, Igda E; Salmán, Ester; Schmidt, Andrew; Liebowitz, Michael

2002-06-01

This article examines a clinical sample of 66 Dominican and Puerto Rican subjects who reported ataques de nervios and also psychiatric disorder, and disentangles the phenomenological experiences of ataque de nervios, panic attacks, and panic disorder. In-depth cultural interviews assessed the symptomatic phenomenology of ataque episodes from the local perspective as well as in terms of key panic features, such as recurrence, rapid peaking of symptoms, and lack of provocation. Independent diagnostic assessments of panic attacks and disorder were also used to establish the phenomenological overlap between ataque and panic. Our findings indicate that 36 percent of ataques de nervios fulfill criteria for panic attacks and between 17 percent and 33 percent for panic disorder, depending on the overlap method used. The main features distinguishing ataques that fulfill panic criteria from ataques that do not include whether the episodes were provoked by an upsetting event in the person's life and the rapidity of crescendo of the actual attack. A key finding is that ataques often share individual phenomenological features with panic episodes, but that these features usually do not "run together" during the ataque experience. This confirms previous findings that ataque is a more inclusive construct than panic disorder. The importance of these findings for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of persons with ataques is discussed.

THE PANIC ATTACK–PTSD MODEL: APPLICABILITY TO ORTHOSTATIC PANIC AMONG CAMBODIAN REFUGEES

PubMed Central

Hinton, Devon E.; Hofmann, Stefan G.; Pitman, Roger K.; Pollack, Mark H.; Barlow, David H.

2009-01-01

This article examines the ability of the “Panic Attack–PTSD Model” to predict how panic attacks are generated and how panic attacks worsen posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The article does so by determining the validity of the Panic Attack–PTSD Model in respect to one type of panic attacks among traumatized Cambodian refugees: orthostatic panic (OP) attacks, that is, panic attacks generated by moving from lying or sitting to standing. Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, we conducted two studies to explore the validity of the Panic Attack–PTSD Model as applied to OP patients, meaning patients with at least one episode of OP in the previous month. In Study 1, the “Panic Attack–PTSD Model” accurately indicated how OP is seemingly generated: among OP patients (N = 58), orthostasis-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions predicted OP severity beyond a measure of anxious–depressive distress (SCL subscales), and OP severity significantly mediated the effect of anxious–depressive distress on CAPS severity. In Study 2, as predicted by the Panic Attack–PTSD Model, OP had a mediational role in respect to the effect of treatment on PTSD severity: among Cambodian refugees with PTSD and comorbid OP who participated in a CBT study (N = 56), improvement in PTSD severity was partially mediated by improvement in OP severity. PMID:18470741

Panic-attack-induced transient leukocytosis in a healthy male: a case report.

PubMed

Iskandar, Joseph W; Griffeth, Benjamin; Sapra, Mamta; Singh, Karamjit; Giugale, Juan M

2011-01-01

The lifetime prevalence of panic attacks is 28.3% in American adults 18 years and older. The age of onset of panic attack extends throughout adulthood; however, it typically develops in early adulthood, with median age of onset of 22 years [Kessler R.C., Chiu W.T., Jin R., Ruscio A.M., Shear K., Walters E.E. The epidemiology of panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006 Apr;63(4):415-24.]. As reported in our case, panic attacks could induce transient leukocytosis in healthy adults. If practitioners recognize this association, expensive investigations and extensive hospital stays may be prevented, although prudent practice would likely still require some type of investigations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of mental health first aid guidelines for panic attacks: a Delphi study.

PubMed

Kelly, Claire M; Jorm, Anthony F; Kitchener, Betty A

2009-08-10

Panic attacks are common, and while they are not life-threatening events, they can lead to the development of panic disorder and agoraphobia. Appropriate help at the time that a panic attack occurs may decrease the fear associated with the attack and reduce the risk of developing an anxiety disorder. However, few people have the knowledge and skills required to assist. Simple first aid guidelines may help members of the public to offer help to people who experience panic attacks. The Delphi method was used to reach consensus in a panel of experts. Experts included 50 professionals and 6 people who had experience of panic attacks and were active in mental health advocacy. Statements about how to assist someone who is having a panic attack were sourced through a systematic search of both professional and lay literature. These statements were rated for importance as first aid guidelines by the expert and consumer panels and guidelines were written using the items most consistently endorsed. Of 144 statements presented to the panels, 27 were accepted. These statements were used to develop the guidelines appended to this paper. There are a number of actions which are considered to be useful for members of the public to do if they encounter someone who is having a panic attack. These guidelines will be useful in revision of curricula of mental health first aid programs. They can also be used by members of the public who want immediate information about how to assist someone who is experiencing panic attacks.

The epidemiology of panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Chiu, Wai Tat; Jin, Robert; Ruscio, Ayelet Meron; Shear, Katherine; Walters, Ellen E.

2007-01-01

Context Only limited information exists about the epidemiology of DSM-IV panic attacks and panic disorder. Objective To present nationally representative data on the epidemiology of panic attacks and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia based on the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Design and Setting Nationally representative face-to-face household survey conducted using the fully structured WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Participants 9282 English-speaking respondents ages 18 and older. Main Outcome Measures DSM-IV panic attacks (PA) and panic disorder (PD) with and without agoraphobia (AG). Results Lifetime prevalence estimates are 22.7% for isolated panic without agoraphobia (PA-only), 0.8% for PA with agoraphobia without PD (PA-AG), 3.7% for PD without AG (PD-only), and 1.1% for PD with AG (PD-AG). Persistence, number of lifetime attacks, and number of years with attacks all increase monotonically across these four subgroups. All four subgroups are significantly comorbid with other lifetime DSM-IV disorders, with the highest odds for PD-AG and the lowest for PA-only. Scores on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale are also highest for PD-AG (86.3% moderate-severe) and lowest for PA-only (6.7% moderate-severe). Agoraphobia is associated with substantial severity, impairment, and comorbidity. Lifetime treatment is high (from 96.1% PD-AG to 61.1% PA-only), but 12-month treatment meeting published treatment guidelines is low (from 54.9% PD-AG to 18.2% PA-only). Conclusions Although the major societal burden of panic is due to PD and PA-AGG, isolated panic attacks also have high prevalence and meaningful role impairment. PMID:16585471

Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack.

PubMed

Barzegar, Kazem; Barzegar, Somayeh

2017-12-01

To study the effect of playing cell phone chess game on treating panic attack. The chess game on an android cell phone was played by the researcher who was affected by panic attack as a post-traumatic disorder immediately after or before feeling of the start of symptoms. The right level of difficulty, i.e., levels 2-4, was selected for optimal results. Playing chess game on the android cell phone prevented the manifestation of panic attack and led to the cure of this traumatic condition. Chess therapy with the right level of difficulty can be recommended as a very effective non-pharmaceutical method for the successful treatment of panic attacks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Main and interactive effects of a nonclinical panic attack history and distress tolerance in relation to PTSD symptom severity.

PubMed

Marshall-Berenz, Erin C; Vujanovic, Anka A; Zvolensky, Michael J

2011-03-01

The current study investigated the main and interactive effects of a nonclinical panic attack history and distress tolerance in relation to PTSD symptoms. The sample consisted of 91 adults (62.6% women; M(age)=23.45, SD=9.56) who met DSM-IV criteria for trauma exposure, 53.8% of whom met criteria for a recent (past 2 years) history of nonclinical panic attacks. Results indicated that distress tolerance, as measured by the Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005), was significantly related to all PTSD symptom clusters, and a nonclinical panic attack history was significantly related to PTSD re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms. The interaction of a nonclinical panic attack history and distress tolerance significantly predicted unique variance in only PTSD hyperarousal symptoms. Implications and future directions are discussed for the role of nonclinical panic attacks and distress tolerance in PTSD symptom expression. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Translational approach to the pathophysiology of panic disorder: Focus on serotonin and endogenous opioids.

PubMed

Graeff, Frederico G

2017-05-01

Panic patients experience recurrent panic attacks. Two main neurochemical hypotheses have been proposed to explain this vulnerability. The first suggests that panic patients have deficient serotonergic inhibition of neurons localized in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter of the midbrain that organizes defensive reactions to cope with proximal threats as well as of sympathomotor control areas of the rostral ventrolateral medulla that generate neurovegetative symptoms of the panic attack. The second proposes that endogenous opioids buffer panic attacks in normal subjects, and their deficit results in heightened sensitivity to suffocation and separation anxiety in panic patients. Experimental results obtained in rat models of panic indicate that serotonin interacts synergistically with endogenous opioids in the dorsal periaqueductal gray through 5-HT1A and μ-opioid receptors to inhibit proximal defense and, supposedly, panic attacks. These findings allow reconciliation of the serotonergic and opioidergic hypotheses of panic pathophysiology. They also indicate that endogenous opioids are likely to participate in the panicolytic action of antidepressants and suggest that exogenous opioids may be useful for treating panic patients resistant to conventional pharmacotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Panic Attacks and Smoking Cessation among Cancer Patients Receiving Smoking Cessation Treatment

PubMed Central

Farris, Samantha G.; Robinson, Jason D.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Hogan, Julianna; Rabius, Vance; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Karam-Hage, Maher; Blalock, Janice A.

2018-01-01

Objective Little is known about factors associated with smoking cessation in cancer patients. This study examined the impact of panic attacks on smoking abstinence likelihood among cancer patients receiving tobacco cessation treatment. Method The relationship of panic attacks to 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at mid-treatment, end of treatment, and 6-month post-end of treatment were examined among cancer patients (N = 2,255 patients; 50.1% female; Mage = 54.9, SD = 11.0) who received counseling and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Panic attack history indexed by two questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Post-prevalence abstinence was assessed via the Timeline Follow-Back. Results Cancer patients with a history of panic attacks, (n = 493, 21.9%) relative to those without, were less likely to be abstinent at mid-treatment (OR = 0.79, CI95% = 0.64–0.98) and end of treatment (OR = 0.72, CI95% = 0.58–0.89). After adjusting for significant covariates, panic attack history remained predictive of decreased abstinence likelihood at end of treatment (OR = 0.78, CI95% = 0.62–0.99). Conclusions Panic attacks may be related to poorer cessation outcome during smoking treatment among cancer patients, and may be usefully assessed and targeted for intervention. PMID:27235990

Panic attacks and smoking cessation among cancer patients receiving smoking cessation treatment.

PubMed

Farris, Samantha G; Robinson, Jason D; Zvolensky, Michael J; Hogan, Julianna; Rabius, Vance; Cinciripini, Paul M; Karam-Hage, Maher; Blalock, Janice A

2016-10-01

Little is known about factors associated with smoking cessation in cancer patients. This study examined the impact of panic attacks on smoking abstinence likelihood among cancer patients receiving tobacco cessation treatment. The relationship of panic attacks to 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at mid-treatment, end of treatment, and 6-month post-end of treatment were examined among cancer patients (N=2255 patients; 50.1% female; Mage=54.9, SD=11.0) who received counseling and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Panic attack history indexed by two questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Point-prevalence abstinence was assessed via the Timeline Follow-Back. Cancer patients with a history of panic attacks, (n=493, 21.9%) relative to those without, were less likely to be abstinent at mid-treatment (OR=0.79, CI95%=0.64-0.98) and end of treatment (OR=0.72, CI95%=0.58-0.89). After adjusting for significant covariates, panic attack history remained predictive of decreased abstinence likelihood at end of treatment (OR =0.78, CI95%=0.62-0.99). Panic attacks may be related to poorer cessation outcome during smoking treatment among cancer patients, and may be usefully assessed and targeted for intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caffeine challenge test in panic disorder and depression with panic attacks.

PubMed

Nardi, Antonio E; Lopes, Fabiana L; Valença, Alexandre M; Freire, Rafael C; Veras, André B; de-Melo-Neto, Valfrido L; Nascimento, Isabella; King, Anna Lucia; Mezzasalma, Marco A; Soares-Filho, Gastão L; Zin, Walter A

2007-01-01

Our aim was to observe if patients with panic disorder (PD) and patients with major depression with panic attacks (MDP) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria) respond in a similar way to the induction of panic attacks by an oral caffeine challenge test. We randomly selected 29 patients with PD, 27 with MDP, 25 with major depression without panic attacks (MD), and 28 healthy volunteers. The patients had no psychotropic drug for at least a 4-week period. In a randomized double-blind experiment performed in 2 occasions 7 days apart, 480 mg caffeine and a caffeine-free (placebo) solution were administered in a coffee form and anxiety scales were applied before and after each test. A total of 58.6% (n = 17) of patients with PD, 44.4% (n = 12) of patients with MDP, 12.0% (n = 3) of patients with MD, and 7.1% (n= 2) of control subjects had a panic attack after the 480-mg caffeine challenge test (chi(2)(3) = 16.22, P = .001). The patients with PD and MDP were more sensitive to caffeine than were patients with MD and healthy volunteers. No panic attack was observed after the caffeine-free solution intake. The patients with MD had a lower heart rate response to the test than all the other groups (2-way analysis of variance, group by time interaction with Greenhouse-Geisser correction: F(3,762) = 2.85, P = .026). Our data suggest that there is an association between panic attacks, no matter if associated with PD or MDP, and hyperreactivity to an oral caffeine challenge test.

Panic disorder: a different perspective.

PubMed

Ranganathan, A; Beitman, B D

1998-02-01

Panic disorder is a chronic and debilitating illness. In this article, we present an algorithm of the diagnosis and treatment of the illness. We place much importance upon the patient variables associated with the treatment decisions. We emphasize strong patient involvement in treatment as a way to become panic free and improve level of functioning. Panic disorder is defined in DSM-IV1 as "The presence of recurrent panic attacks followed by at least one month of persistent concern about having another panic attack, worry about the possible implications or consequences of the panic attack, or a significant behavioral change related to the attacks." A panic attack is defined as "a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four or more of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes." 1) Palpitations, pounding heart or accelerated heart rate; 2) sweating; 3) trembling or shaking; 4) sensations of shortness of breath or smothering; 5) feeling of choking; 6) chest pain or discomfort; 7) nausea or abdominal distress; 8) feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or faint; 9) derealization or depersonalization; 10) fear of losing control or going crazy; 11) fear of dying; 12) paresthesias; 13) chills or hot flashes. The following hypotheses have been used to conceptualize panic disorder from a psychiatrist's perspective.

Respiratory manifestations of panic disorder: causes, consequences and therapeutic implications.

PubMed

Sardinha, Aline; Freire, Rafael Christophe da Rocha; Zin, Walter Araújo; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2009-07-01

Multiple respiratory abnormalities can be found in anxiety disorders, especially in panic disorder (PD). Individuals with PD experience unexpected panic attacks, characterized by anxiety and fear, resulting in a number of autonomic and respiratory symptoms. Respiratory stimulation is a common event during panic attacks. The respiratory abnormality most often reported in PD patients is increased CO2 sensitivity, which has given rise to the hypothesis of fundamental abnormalities in the physiological mechanisms that control breathing in PD. There is evidence that PD patients with dominant respiratory symptoms are more sensitive to respiratory tests than are those who do not manifest such symptoms, and that the former group constitutes a distinct subtype. Patients with PD tend to hyperventilate and to panic in response to respiratory stimulants such as CO2, triggering the activation of a hypersensitive fear network. Although respiratory physiology seems to remain normal in these subjects, recent evidence supports the idea that they present subclinical abnormalities in respiration and in other functions related to body homeostasis. The fear network, composed of the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex, the amygdala and its brain stem projections, might be oversensitive in PD patients. This theory might explain why medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy are both clearly effective. Our aim was to review the relationship between respiration and PD, addressing the respiratory subtype of PD and the hyperventilation syndrome, with a focus on respiratory challenge tests, as well as on the current mechanistic concepts and the pharmacological implications of this relationship.

Cigarette smoking and the onset and persistence of panic attacks during mid-adulthood in the United States: 1994-2005.

PubMed

Bakhshaie, Jafar; Zvolensky, Michael J; Goodwin, Renee D

2016-01-01

The current study examined the relationship between cigarette smoking (daily) and risk of onset and persistence of panic attacks over a 10-year period among adults in mid-adulthood in the United States and whether quitting smoking reduced the risk for panic attacks. Data were drawn from the Midlife Development in the United States Survey (N = 2,101), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 25 to 74 years at baseline (wave 1, 1994-1995) who were followed up 10 years later at wave 2 (2004-2006). Psychiatric diagnoses were based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short-Form (CIDI-SF [based on DSM-III-R criteria]) scales. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate the associations between smoking status and the onset and persistence of panic attack after controlling for demographic characteristics and substance use problems. Daily smoking in 1994 (OR = 1.9 [95% CI, 1.1-3.3]) and persistent daily smoking in 1994 and 2005 (OR = 2.6 [95% CI, 1.4-4.8]) were associated with a significantly increased likelihood of panic attacks in 2005. Moreover, smoking abstinence significantly reduced the risk of new-onset panic attacks (OR = 0.6 [95% CI, 0.4-0.97]) and persistence of panic attacks (OR = 0.2 [95% CI, 0.1-0.5]). The present data provide novel evidence that smoking is associated with an increased risk of panic attacks and that quitting smoking helps reduce such risk. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Vietnamese Refugees with PTSD and Comorbid Panic Attacks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinton, Devon E.; Safren, Steven A.; Pollack, Mark H.; Tran, Minh

2006-01-01

For Vietnamese refugees, we describe (a) how headache- and orthostasis-focused panic attacks are generated, (b) a culturally sensitive treatment for PTSD with comorbid headache- and orthostasis-focused panic attacks, and (c) the outcome of a treatment series. In a multiple-baseline, across-subjects design (N = 3), all patients demonstrated…

Is There Anybody There? A Psychodynamic View of Panic Attack.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizq, Rosemary

2002-01-01

Presents a process analysis of a psychodynamic intervention for a client with panic attacks. Discusses how a psychodynamic understanding of the complex etiology of the client's panic attacks that ultimately produced improved coping skills and a subjective sense of improvement for her. Process analysis is used to illustrate the theoretical base,…

Panic disorder among Vietnamese refugees attending a psychiatric clinic: Prevalence and subtypes

PubMed Central

Hinton, Devon; Chau, Ha; Nguyen, Lim; Nguyen, Mai; Pham, Thang; Quinn, Sarah; Tran, Minh

2009-01-01

This study surveys Vietnamese refugees attending two psychiatric clinics to determine both the prevalence of panic disorder (PD) as well as panic attack subtypes in those suffering PD. A culturally valid adaptation of the SCID-panic module (the Vietnamese Panic Disorder Survey or VPDS) was administered to 100 Vietnamese refugees attending two psychiatric clinics. Utilizing culturally sensitive panic probes, the VPDS provides information regarding both the presence of PD and panic attack subtypes during the month prior to interview. Of 100 patients surveyed, 50 (50%) currently suffered PD. Among the 50 patients suffering PD, the most common panic attack subtypes during the previous month were the following: “orthostatic dizziness” (74% of the 50 panic disorder patients [PDPs]), headache (50% of PDPs), wind-induced/temperature-shift-induced (24% of PDPs), effort-induced (18% of PDPs), gastro-intestinal (16% of PDPs), micturition-induced (8% of PDPs), out-of-the-blue palpitations (24% of PDPs), and out-of-the-blue shortness of breath (16% of PDPs). Five mechanisms are adduced to account for this high PD prevalence as well as the specific profile of subtypes: 1) a trauma-caused panic attack diathesis; 2) trauma-event cues; 3) ethnic differences in physiology; 4) catastrophic cognitions generated by cultural syndromes; and 5) a modification of Clark’s spiral of panic. PMID:11738465

Factors influencing care seeking for a self-defined worst panic attack.

PubMed

Katerndahl, David A

2002-04-01

Only 60 percent of persons who experience panic attacks seek treatment for them, many at the emergency department. The author documented care-seeking behaviors among persons living in the community who had experienced panic attacks and studied determinants of care seeking. In-depth structured interviews were conducted with 97 randomly selected community-dwelling adults who met DSM-III-R criteria for panic attacks. Participants were asked whether they had contemplated using or had actually used medical, alternative, and family sources of care when they had experienced their worst attack. Seventy-seven participants (79 percent) had considered using a general medical or mental health site when they experienced their worst attack. Of these, 50 (52 percent) had actually used such a site. General medical sites were contemplated more often (72 percent of participants) than mental health sites (27 percent), particularly emergency departments (43 percent) and family physicians' offices (34 percent). Other sources, such as friends or family members, alternative sites, and self-treatment, were contemplated less often. Once contemplated, certain sources were readily used, such as ambulances, family members, and self-treatment. Several factors were significantly associated with whether a person contemplated seeking care: access or barriers to treatment, perception of symptoms and of the reasons for the panic attack, and family-related variables. Contemplation and use of a mental health site after a panic attack was rare among the participants in this study. Further study of determinants of care seeking may help explain why persons who experience panic attacks fail to seek treatment or seek treatment from non-mental health sources.

Acid–base dysregulation and chemosensory mechanisms in panic disorder: a translational update

PubMed Central

Vollmer, L L; Strawn, J R; Sah, R

2015-01-01

Panic disorder (PD), a complex anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks, represents a poorly understood psychiatric condition which is associated with significant morbidity and an increased risk of suicide attempts and completed suicide. Recently however, neuroimaging and panic provocation challenge studies have provided insights into the pathoetiology of panic phenomena and have begun to elucidate potential neural mechanisms that may underlie panic attacks. In this regard, accumulating evidence suggests that acidosis may be a contributing factor in induction of panic. Challenge studies in patients with PD reveal that panic attacks may be reliably provoked by agents that lead to acid–base dysbalance such as CO2 inhalation and sodium lactate infusion. Chemosensory mechanisms that translate pH into panic-relevant fear, autonomic, and respiratory responses are therefore of high relevance to the understanding of panic pathophysiology. Herein, we provide a current update on clinical and preclinical studies supporting how acid–base imbalance and diverse chemosensory mechanisms may be associated with PD and discuss future implications of these findings. PMID:26080089

Panic Attack during Elective Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

PubMed

Mitsonis, Charalampos; Dimopoulos, Nikolaos; Zavrou, Marianna; Psarra, Vassiliki; Giofkos, Christos; Fiorakis, Christos; Dimitriadis, Athanasios; Valavanis, Dimitrios; Vousoura, Eleni; Zervas, Iannis; Papavassiliou, Efstathios

2011-01-01

Background. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy (CS) can evoke anxiety, embarrassment, and discomfort. These concerns can culminate in panic attacks, which may traumatize patients and significantly decrease their compliance to the procedure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between preendoscopic anxiety and the possibility of a panic attack during an elective gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGE). Methods. The study population comprised of 79 Greek outpatients. The examination was carried out without the use of conscious sedation. Patients' anxiety levels were assessed before the procedure using the Greek version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Results. Seventy-nine patients were enrolled: 45 EGD and 34 CS. Females had higher state and trait anxiety levels than males (48.14 ± 7.94 versus 44.17 ± 7.43, P < 0.05; and 43.68 ± 6.95 versus 39.86 ± 7.46, P < 0.05). Patients who experienced panic attack had significantly higher levels of both trait and state anxiety, compared to those who were panic-free. There was no significant relationship between panic attacks and sex or type of procedure. Conclusions. Patients who experience panic attacks during endoscopic procedures appear to have significantly higher anxiety levels before the procedure. Administering the STAI questionnaire prior to the endoscopy seems to be a useful screening method for vulnerable patients.

Anxiety disorders

MedlinePlus

... Anxiety can also be a sudden attack of terror when there is no threat. What are anxiety ... People with panic disorder have sudden attacks of terror when there is no actual danger. Panic attacks ...

Comparison between hyperventilation and breath-holding in panic disorder: patients responsive and non-responsive to both tests.

PubMed

Nardi, Antonio E; Valença, Alexandre M; Mezzasalma, Marco A; Levy, Sandra P; Lopes, Fabiana L; Nascimento, Isabella; Freire, Rafael C; Veras, Andre B; Zin, Walter A

2006-06-15

Our aim was to compare the demographic and psychopathological features of panic disorder (PD) patients who underwent hyperventilation and breath-holding challenge tests, and to describe the features of patients who had a panic attack after both tests versus those patients who did not experience panic after either test. Eighty-five PD patients were induced to hyperventilate (30 breaths/min) for 4 min, and a week later to hold their breath for as long as possible four times with a 2-min interval in between. Anxiety scales were applied before and after the tests. Patients who responded with a panic attack to both tests (BPA, n = 25) were compared with patients who experienced spontaneous panic attacks but did not panic in response to the two tests (NPA, n = 16). The BPA group had a significantly higher presence of respiratory symptoms during a panic attack. The criteria for the respiratory PD subtype were fulfilled in 18 (72.0%) BPA patients and in 6 (37.5%) NPA patients. The BPA patients had a later onset of panic disorder and a higher familial prevalence of PD. Our data suggest that there is a distinction between PD patients who were sensitive to both hyperventilation and breath-holding tests and PD patients who were not affected by the challenge tests. The panic attack may be a final common pathway for different types of stimuli, and respiratory tests may characterize different PD subgroups.

Assessing DSM-IV symptoms of panic attack in the general population: an item response analysis.

PubMed

Sunderland, Matthew; Hobbs, Megan J; Andrews, Gavin; Craske, Michelle G

2012-12-20

Unexpected panic attacks may represent a non-specific risk factor for future depression and anxiety disorders. The examination of panic symptoms and associated latent severity levels may lead to improvements in the identification, prevention, and treatment of panic attacks and subsequent psychopathology for 'at risk' individuals in the general population. The current study utilised item response theory to assess the DSM-IV symptoms of panic in relation to the latent severity level of the panic attack construct in a sample of 5913 respondents from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related conditions. Additionally, differential item functioning (DIF) was assessed to determine if each symptom of panic targets the same level of latent severity between different sociodemographic groups (male/female, young/old). Symptoms indexing 'choking', 'fear of dying', and 'tingling/numbness' are some of the more severe symptoms of panic whilst 'heart racing', 'short of breath', 'tremble/shake', 'dizzy/faint', and 'perspire' are some of the least severe symptoms. Significant levels of DIF were detected in the 'perspire' symptom between males and females and the 'fear of dying' symptom between young and old respondents. The current study was limited to examining cross-sectional data from respondents who had experienced at least one panic attack across their lifetime. The findings of the current study provide additional information regarding panic symptoms in the general population that may enable researchers and clinicians to further refine the detection of 'at-risk' individuals who experience threshold and sub-threshold levels of panic. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Negative affect and smoking motives sequentially mediate the effect of panic attacks on tobacco-relevant processes

PubMed Central

Farris, Samantha G.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Blalock, Janice A.; Schmidt, Norman B.

2018-01-01

Introduction Empirical work has documented a robust and consistent relation between panic attacks and smoking behavior. Theoretical models posit smokers with panic attacks may rely on smoking to help them manage chronically elevated negative affect due to uncomfortable bodily states, which may explain higher levels of nicotine dependence and quit problems. Methods The current study examined the effects of panic attack history on nicotine dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, smoking inflexibility when emotionally distressed, and expired carbon monoxide among 461 treatment-seeking smokers. A multiple mediator path model was evaluated to examine the indirect effects of negative affect and negative affect reduction motives as mediators of the panic attack-smoking relations. Results Panic attack history was indirectly related to greater levels of nicotine dependence (b=0.039, CI95%=0.008, 0.097), perceived barriers to smoking cessation (b=0.195, CI95%=0.043, 0.479), smoking inflexibility/avoidance when emotionally distressed (b=0.188, CI95%=0.041, 0.445), and higher levels of expired carbon monoxide (b=0.071, CI95%=0.010, 0.230) through the sequential effects of negative affect and negative affect smoking motives. Conclusions The present results provide empirical support for the sequential mediating role of negative affect and smoking motives for negative affect reduction in the relation between panic attacks and a variety of smoking variables in treatment-seeking smokers. These mediating variables are likely important processes to address in smoking cessation treatment, especially in panic-vulnerable smokers. PMID:24720260

Negative affect and smoking motives sequentially mediate the effect of panic attacks on tobacco-relevant processes.

PubMed

Farris, Samantha G; Zvolensky, Michael J; Blalock, Janice A; Schmidt, Norman B

2014-05-01

Empirical work has documented a robust and consistent relation between panic attacks and smoking behavior. Theoretical models posit smokers with panic attacks may rely on smoking to help them manage chronically elevated negative affect due to uncomfortable bodily states, which may explain higher levels of nicotine dependence and quit problems. The current study examined the effects of panic attack history on nicotine dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, smoking inflexibility when emotionally distressed, and expired carbon monoxide among 461 treatment-seeking smokers. A multiple mediator path model was evaluated to examine the indirect effects of negative affect and negative affect reduction motives as mediators of the panic attack-smoking relations. Panic attack history was indirectly related to greater levels of nicotine dependence (b = 0.039, CI95% = 0.008, 0.097), perceived barriers to smoking cessation (b = 0.195, CI95% = 0.043, 0.479), smoking inflexibility/avoidance when emotionally distressed (b = 0.188, CI95% = 0.041, 0.445), and higher levels of expired carbon monoxide (b = 0.071, CI95% = 0.010, 0.230) through the sequential effects of negative affect and negative affect smoking motives. The present results provide empirical support for the sequential mediating role of negative affect and smoking motives for negative affect reduction in the relation between panic attacks and a variety of smoking variables in treatment-seeking smokers. These mediating variables are likely important processes to address in smoking cessation treatment, especially in panic-vulnerable smokers.

Sympathetic activity in patients with panic disorder at rest, under laboratory mental stress, and during panic attacks.

PubMed

Wilkinson, D J; Thompson, J M; Lambert, G W; Jennings, G L; Schwarz, R G; Jefferys, D; Turner, A G; Esler, M D

1998-06-01

The sympathetic nervous system has long been believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of panic disorder, but studies to date, most using peripheral venous catecholamine measurements, have yielded conflicting and equivocal results. We tested sympathetic nervous function in patients with panic disorder by using more sensitive methods. Sympathetic nervous and adrenal medullary function was measured by using direct nerve recording (clinical microneurography) and whole-body and cardiac catecholamine kinetics in 13 patients with panic disorder as defined by the DSM-IV, and 14 healthy control subjects. Measurements were made at rest, during laboratory stress (forced mental arithmetic), and, for 4 patients, during panic attacks occurring spontaneously in the laboratory setting. Muscle sympathetic activity, arterial plasma concentration of norepinephrine, and the total and cardiac norepinephrine spillover rates to plasma were similar in patients and control subjects at rest, as was whole-body epinephrine secretion. Epinephrine spillover from the heart was elevated in patients with panic disorder (P=.01). Responses to laboratory mental stress were almost identical in patient and control groups. During panic attacks, there were marked increases in epinephrine secretion and large increases in the sympathetic activity in muscle in 2 patients but smaller changes in the total norepinephrine spillover to plasma. Whole-body and regional sympathetic nervous activity are not elevated at rest in patients with panic disorder. Epinephrine is released from the heart at rest in patients with panic disorder, possibly due to loading of cardiac neuronal stores by uptake from plasma during surges of epinephrine secretion in panic attacks. Contrary to popular belief, the sympathetic nervous system is not globally activated during panic attacks.

Perievent panic attack and depression after the World Trade Center disaster: a structural equation model analysis.

PubMed

Adams, Richard E; Boscarino, Joseph A

2011-01-01

Research suggests that perievent panic attacks--panic attacks in temporal proximity to traumatic events--are predictive of later mental health status, including the onset of depression. Using a community sample of New York City residents interviewed 1 year and 2 years after the World Trade Center Disaster, we estimated a structural equation model (SEM) using pre-disaster psychological status and post-disaster life events, together with psychosocial resources, to assess the relationship between perievent panic and later onset depression. Bivariate results revealed a significant association between perievent panic and both year-1 and year-2 depression. Results for the SEM, however showed that perievent panic was predictive of year-1 depression, but not year-2 depression, once potential confounders were controlled Year-2 stressors and year-2 psychosocial resources were the best predictors of year-2 depression onset. Pre-disaster psychological problems were directly implicated in year-1 depression, but not year-2 depression. We conclude that a conceptual model that includes pre- and post-disaster variables best explains the complex causal pathways between psychological status, stressor exposure, perievent panic attacks, and depression onset two years after the World Trade Center attacks.

Panic disorder and locomotor activity

PubMed Central

Sakamoto, Noriyuki; Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro; Kikuchi, Hiroe; Takimoto, Yoshiyuki; Kaiya, Hisanobu; Kumano, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Yoshiharu; Akabayashi, Akira

2008-01-01

Background Panic disorder is one of the anxiety disorders, and anxiety is associated with some locomotor activity changes such as "restlessness". However, there have been few studies on locomotor activity in panic disorder using actigraphy, although many studies on other psychiatric disorders have been reported using actigraphy. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between panic disorder and locomotor activity pattern using a wrist-worn activity monitor. In addition, an ecological momentary assessment technique was used to record panic attacks in natural settings. Methods Sixteen patients with panic disorder were asked to wear a watch-type computer as an electronic diary for recording panic attacks for two weeks. In addition, locomotor activity was measured and recorded continuously in an accelerometer equipped in the watch-type computer. Locomotor activity data were analyzed using double cosinor analysis to calculate mesor and the amplitude and acrophase of each of the circadian rhythm and 12-hour harmonic component. Correlations between panic disorder symptoms and locomotor activity were investigated. Results There were significant positive correlations between the frequency of panic attacks and mesor calculated from double cosinor analysis of locomotor activity (r = 0.55) and between HAM-A scores and mesor calculated from double cosinor analysis of locomotor activity (r = 0.62). Conclusion Panic disorder patients with more panic attacks and more anxiety have greater objectively assessed locomotor activity, which may reflect the "restlessness" of anxiety disorders. PMID:19017383

Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents

MedlinePlus

... child and adolescent psychiatrist should be obtained. Several types of treatment are effective. Specific medications may stop panic attacks. Psychotherapy may also help the child and family learn ways to reduce stress or conflict that could otherwise cause a panic attack. With ...

Panic attacks. Psychologic response or medical illness?

PubMed

Katerndahl, D A

1984-06-01

Panic attacks are surprisingly common in the United States, costing our economy more than $100 million per year in disability benefits and health care expenses. However, diagnosis is difficult and consequently many patients are treated for other conditions. When an underlying disorder is determined to be present, treatment of that disorder may ameliorate attacks. If none is present, panic symptoms will respond to a variety of drugs. Behavioral therapy may be necessary in severe cases or as adjunctive therapy after attacks abate.

Differentiating ictal panic with low-grade temporal lobe tumors from psychogenic panic attacks.

PubMed

Ghods, Ali J; Ruban, Dmitry S; Wallace, David; Byrne, Richard W

2013-11-01

Indolent low-grade temporal lobe tumors may present with ictal panic that may be difficult to differentiate from psychogenic panic attacks. The current study aims to demonstrate the differences between the two disorders and help physicians generate a diagnostic paradigm. This was a retrospective study of 43 patients who underwent a temporal lobectomy between 1981 and 2008 for the treatment of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy secondary to low-grade neoplasms at Rush University Medical Center. A total of 10 patients in this group presented with ictal panic who were previously being treated for psychogenic panic attacks. Medical records were reviewed for age at seizure onset, duration of symptoms, lateralization of the epileptogenic zone, pathological diagnosis, and postsurgical seizure outcome according to the modified Engel classification. Neuropathologic findings of the 10 tumors were pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, ganglioglioma, oligodendroglioma, and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial. The mean age of the patients undergoing surgery was 28 years (range, 15-49). The mean duration of panic symptoms prior to surgery was 9.8 years (range, 3-23). All patients had unprovoked ictal panic. None had symptoms suggestive of a brain tumor, such as signs of increased intracranial pressure or any focal neurologic deficit. In 5 of the patients, other symptoms associated with the ictal panic, including unusual sounds, nausea, automatism, uprising gastric sensation, and déjà vu were identified. Gross total resection of the lesion resulted in improved seizure outcome in all patients undergoing surgery. Patient follow-up was, on average, 7.4 years (range, 2-14) from time of surgery. Although similar, ictal panic from epilepsy and classic panic attacks are clinically distinguishable entities with different modalities of treatment. A careful history may help differentiate patients with ictal panic from those with psychogenic panic attacks and determine for which patients to obtain neuroimaging studies. © Copyright 2013 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Dyspnea and Panic Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Shin, Jennifer A.; Kosiba, Jesse D.; Traeger, Lara; Greer, Joseph A.; Temel, Jennifer S.; Pirl, William F.

2014-01-01

Context Among patients with lung cancer, dyspnea is associated with psychological distress, fatigue, and poor coping. Respiratory symptoms are also a common trigger for panic attacks in the general population. Minimal research has addressed the prevalence of panic disorder or the association of dyspnea with risk of panic disorder in lung cancer. Objectives We explored the frequency of panic disorder symptoms and the association of dyspnea with risk of panic disorder symptoms among patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods During 2006–2010, consecutive patients presenting for initial consultation at a thoracic oncology clinic completed a survey of current symptoms, including dyspnea and panic disorder symptoms. We evaluated the frequency of panic disorder symptoms. Logistic regression was used to test the association of dyspnea with risk of panic disorder symptoms, adjusting for age, gender, disease stage, performance status, and major depression symptoms. Results Among 624 patients (M age=63.7 [SD=12.1]; 52.6% female), 48.1% reported that breathing was at least somewhat difficult and 11.2% endorsed panic disorder symptoms. Dyspnea was independently associated with higher risk of panic disorder symptoms (OR=2.19, 95% CI=1.11–4.31, P=0.02). Younger age and major depression symptoms also were associated with higher risk (P’s<0.01). Conclusion Almost half of patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC reported dyspnea, and patients with dyspnea were over twice as likely to endorse panic disorder symptoms relative to patients without dyspnea. Results highlight the need to differentiate panic disorder symptoms among patients who report dyspnea, particularly those who are younger or experiencing major depression symptoms. PMID:24766738

Hemodynamic, ventilatory, and biochemical responses of panic patients and normal controls with sodium lactate infusion and spontaneous panic attacks.

PubMed

Gaffney, F A; Fenton, B J; Lane, L D; Lake, C R

1988-01-01

Hemodynamic, ventilatory, and biochemical variables were measured in ten healthy adults and ten panic patients during infusion of 0.5 mol/L of sodium lactate. Physical activity, fitness level, and ambulatory electrocardiograms were also recorded. Lactate infusion doubled cardiac output, increased blood lactate levels by sixfold, and produced hypernatremia, hypocalcemia, and decreased serum bicarbonate levels in both groups but raised arterial pressure only in the patients. The patients hyperventilated before and during the infusion. Physiological responses and somatic complaints with the infusion differed little between the groups, but emotional complaints were six times more frequent among the panic patients. Eight patients but no control subjects interpreted their symptoms as a panic attack. Heart rate increased with only 14 of 31 recorded spontaneous outpatient panic attacks. Sodium lactate infusions appear to produce panic by mimicking the physiology of spontaneous panic. Treatment with cardioactive agents is not indicated in the absence of cardiopulmonary or autonomic nervous system abnormalities.

Parent-Reported Predictors of Adolescent Panic Attacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Chris; Wilson, Kimberly A.; Lagle, Kristy; Killen, Joel D.; Taylor, C. Barr

2004-01-01

Objective: To identify parent-reported risk factors for adolescent panic attacks. Method: Structured diagnostic interviews were obtained from 770 parents of participants in a school-based risk factor study for adolescent panic. Parent-reported risk factors assessed included characteristics of the child (negative affect, separation anxiety disorder…

Symptom Induction and De-escalation in the Treatment of Panic Attacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dattilio, Frank M.

1990-01-01

Describes technique known as symptom induction and de-escalation for panic attacks in which goal is to reproduce the type of situation that may precipitate an attack and then to show the client how the attacks can be "turned on" as well as "turned off." (ABL)

[Sibutramine-related panic attack: a clinical case of apparent resolution with paroxetine].

PubMed

Fiorentini, Samantha; Russo, Daniele; D'Amato, Antonella; Limpido, Lucilla; Bersani, Giuseppe

2009-01-01

The authors report the case of a patient arrived in psychiatric ambulatory with a panic-like symptomatology. The patient refers that the symptomatology appeared after taking sibutramine. She took it with the intent to lose weight. After the disturbance beginning, the patient interrupted the sibutramine treatment but the psychiatric symptomatology didn't regress completely. It is supposed, in the light of this new evidence and in conformity of DSM-IV criteria, the diagnosis of substance-induced anxiety disorder with panic attack. Paroxetine and alprazolam were administered to the patient, with the resolution of the anxious symptoms. After eight months the treatment was suspended, since the patient referred to be pregnant; in any case, during the pregnancy no other panic attacks occurred. After six months from the suspension of the drugs, the patient can no longer be classified as affected by panic attack according to the DSM-IV criteria.

Hyperventilation

MedlinePlus

... breathing; Respiratory rate - rapid and deep; Hyperventilation syndrome; Panic attack - hyperventilation; Anxiety - hyperventilation ... from an emotional cause such as during a panic attack. Or, it can be due to a medical ...

Epidemics of panic during a bioterrorist attack--a mathematical model.

PubMed

Radosavljevic, Vladan; Radunovic, Desanka; Belojevic, Goran

2009-09-01

A bioterrorist attacks usually cause epidemics of panic in a targeted population. We have presented epidemiologic aspect of this phenomenon as a three-component model--host, information on an attack and social network. We have proposed a mathematical model of panic and counter-measures as the function of time in a population exposed to a bioterrorist attack. The model comprises ordinary differential equations and graphically presented combinations of the equations parameters. Clinically, we have presented a model through a sequence of psychic conditions and disorders initiated by an act of bioterrorism. This model might be helpful for an attacked community to timely and properly apply counter-measures and to minimize human mental suffering during a bioterrorist attack.

[Rethink the panic disorder].

PubMed

Amami, O; Aloulou, J; Siala, M; Aribi, L

2010-04-01

We propose some reflexions on the validity of the conceptualization of panic disorder, its nosographical place, and its clinical homogeneity, through the study of the frequency of some of its psychiatric comorbidities. To define a panic attack, DSM IV requires a number of symptoms which vary from four to 13. However, some patients suffer from panic attacks with less than four symptoms (paucisymptomatic attacks) and which fill the other criteria of panic disorder. These patients would have a biological vulnerability, familial antecedents, and a treatment response which are similar to those that fill the criteria of the panic attack according to the DSM. Some authors differentiate the panic disorder in several sub-groups, such as the panic disorder with cardiorespiratory symptoms, or vestibular symptoms, or cognitive symptoms. This division of the panic disorder in several sub-groups would have an interest in the knowledge of the etiopathogeny, the attacks' frequency, the disorder severity and the treatment response. Panic disorder with prevalent somatic expression includes crises without cognitive symptoms. This sub-type can be common in the medical context, especially in cardiology, but it is often ignored, at the price of loss of socio-professional adaptability, and a medical overconsumption. The relationship between panic disorder and agoraphobia appears to be the subject of controversies. According to the behavioral theory, phobic disorder is the primum movens of the sequence of appearance of the disorders. American psychiatry considers agoraphobia as a secondary response to the panic disorder, and pleads for a central role of panic attacks as an etiopathogenic factor in the development of agoraphobia. The distinction between panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder can be difficult. This is due to the existence of paucisymptomatic panic attacks. Their paroxystic nature is difficult to distinguish from the fluctuations of the generalized anxiety disorder. This frequent comorbidity could be also due to the community of certain symptoms of each disorder. These observations increase the validity of the anxiety generalized disorder as an autonomous morbid entity, rather than corresponding to a residual syndrome of the panic disorder, and could be an argument of an implicit return to the Freudian concept of the anxiety neurosis. The frequent comorbidity of panic disorder and personality disorders suggests the existence of a link. The pathological personality can be a factor of vulnerability in the panic disorder, as it can be a consequence of the panic disorder through the personality changing related on the evolution of the disorder and its complications. The relationship between panic disorder and depression has been interpreted in various ways, with mainly three assumptions: the unit position, which considers anxiety and depression as concerning a common diathesis; the dualistic position, which suggests that anxiety and depression are heterogeneous diagnostic categories and the anxio-depressive position that considers anxiety and depression combined as a syndrome differing from the pure anxiety and pure depression. The genetic studies, as well as the family studies, clearly show that the two entities are undissociated. Likewise, the therapeutic action of serotoninergic antidepressants in the two types of disorders reinforces the idea of a common biological vulnerability between anxiety and depression. Several studies have shown a significant association between panic disorder and suicide. However, the suicidal conducts are multiple and proceed by complex interactions between factors of features and states. Accordingly, panic disorder can be considered as a factor of state associated with the suicidal risk. 2009 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The efficacy and safety of alprazolam versus other benzodiazepines in the treatment of panic disorder.

PubMed

Moylan, Steven; Staples, John; Ward, Stephanie Alison; Rogerson, Jan; Stein, Dan J; Berk, Michael

2011-10-01

We performed a meta-analysis of all single- or double-blind, randomized controlled trials comparing alprazolam to another benzodiazepine in the treatment of adult patients meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third or Fourth Edition, criteria for panic disorder or agoraphobia with panic attacks. Eight studies met inclusion criteria, describing a total of at least 631 randomized patients. In the pooled results, there were no significant differences in efficacy between alprazolam and the comparator benzodiazepines on any of the prespecified outcomes: improvement in mean panic attack frequency (between-arm weighted mean difference of 0.6 panic attacks per week; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.3 to 1.6), improvement in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score (weighted mean difference of 0.8 points; 95% CI, -0.5 to 2.1), and proportion of patients free of panic attacks at the final evaluation (pooled relative risk, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.9-1.4). Statistical heterogeneity on prespecified outcomes was not eliminated by stratification on baseline anxiety level. The available evidence fails to demonstrate alprazolam as superior to other benzodiazepines for the treatment of panic disorder.

Aversive imagery in panic disorder: agoraphobia severity, comorbidity, and defensive physiology.

PubMed

McTeague, Lisa M; Lang, Peter J; Laplante, Marie-Claude; Bradley, Margaret M

2011-09-01

Panic is characterized as a disorder of interoceptive physiologic hyperarousal, secondary to persistent anticipation of panic attacks. The novel aim of this research was to investigate whether severity of agoraphobia within panic disorder covaries with the intensity of physiological reactions to imagery of panic attacks and other aversive scenarios. A community sample of principal panic disorder (n = 112; 41 without agoraphobia, 71 with agoraphobia) and control (n = 76) participants imagined threatening and neutral events while acoustic startle probes were presented and the eye-blink response (orbicularis oculi) recorded. Changes in heart rate, skin conductance level, and facial expressivity were also measured. Overall, panic disorder patients exceeded control participants in startle reflex and heart rate during imagery of standard panic attack scenarios, concordant with more extreme ratings of aversion and emotional arousal. Accounting for the presence of agoraphobia revealed that both panic disorder with and without situational apprehension showed the pronounced heart rate increases during standard panic attack imagery observed for the sample as a whole. In contrast, startle potentiation to aversive imagery was more robust in those without versus with agoraphobia. Reflex diminution was most dramatic in those with the most pervasive agoraphobia, coincident with the most extreme levels of comorbid broad negative affectivity, disorder chronicity, and functional impairment. Principal panic disorder may represent initial, heightened interoceptive fearfulness and concomitant defensive hyperactivity, which through progressive generalization of anticipatory anxiety ultimately transitions to a disorder of pervasive agoraphobic apprehension and avoidance, broad dysphoria, and compromised mobilization for defensive action. Copyright © 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aversive imagery in panic disorder: Agoraphobia severity, comorbidity and defensive physiology

PubMed Central

McTeague, Lisa M.; Lang, Peter J.; Laplante, Marie-Claude; Bradley, Margaret M.

2011-01-01

Background Panic is characterized as a disorder of interoceptive physiological hyperarousal, secondary to persistent anticipation of panic attacks. The novel aim of the present research was to investigate whether severity of agoraphobia within panic disorder covaries with the intensity of physiological reactions to imagery of panic attacks and other aversive scenarios. Methods A community sample of principal panic disorder (n=112; 41 without agoraphobia, 71 with agoraphobia) and control (n=76) participants imagined threatening and neutral events while acoustic startle probes were presented and the eye-blink response (orbicularis oculi) recorded. Changes in heart rate, skin conductance level, and facial expressivity were also measured. Results Overall panic disorder patients exceeded controls in startle reflex and heart rate during imagery of standard panic attack scenarios, concordant with more extreme ratings of aversion and emotional arousal. Accounting for the presence of agoraphobia revealed that both panic disorder with and without situational apprehension showed the pronounced heart rate increases during standard panic attack imagery observed for the sample as a whole. In contrast, startle potentiation to aversive imagery was more robust in those without versus with agoraphobia. Reflex diminution was most dramatic in those with the most pervasive agoraphobia, coincident with the most extreme levels of comorbid broad negative affectivity, disorder chronicity, and functional impairment. Conclusions Principal panic disorder may represent initial, heightened interoceptive fearfulness and concomitant defensive hyperactivity, which through progressive generalization of anticipatory anxiety, ultimately transitions to a disorder of pervasive agoraphobic apprehension and avoidance, broad dysphoria and compromised mobilization for defensive action. PMID:21550590

An animal model of panic vulnerability with chronic disinhibition of the dorsomedial/perifornical hypothalamus

PubMed Central

Johnson, Philip L.; Shekhar, Anantha

2013-01-01

Panic disorder (PD) is a severe anxiety disorder characterized by susceptibility to induction of panic attacks by subthreshold interoceptive stimuli such as sodium lactate infusions or hypercapnia induction. Here we review a model of panic vulnerability in rats involving chronic inhibition of GABAergic tone in the dorsomedial/ perifornical hypothalamic (DMH/PeF) region that produces enhanced anxiety and freezing responses in fearful situations, as well as a vulnerability to displaying acute panic-like increases in cardioexcitation, respiration activity and “flight” associated behavior following subthreshold interoceptive stimuli that do not elicit panic responses in control rats. This model of panic vulnerability was developed over 15 years ago and has provided an excellent preclinical model with robust face, predictive and construct validity. The model recapitulates many of the phenotypics features of panic attacks associated with human panic disorder (face validity) including greater sensitivity to panicogenic stimuli demonstrated by sudden onset of anxiety and autonomic activation following an administration of a sub-threshold (i.e., do not usually induce panic in healthy subjects) stimulus such as sodium lactate, CO2, or yohimbine. The construct validity is supported by several key findings; DMH/PeF neurons regulate behavioral and autonomic components of a normal adaptive panic response, as well as being implicated in eliciting panic-like responses in humans. Additionally, Patients with PD have deficits in central GABA activity and pharmacological restoration of central GABA activity prevents panic attacks, consistent with this model. The model’s predictive validity is demonstrated by not only showing panic responses to several panic-inducing agents that elicit panic in patients with PD, but also by the positive therapeutic responses to clinically used agents such as alprazolam and antidepressants that attenuate panic attacks in patients. More importantly, this model has been utilized to discover novel drugs such as group II metabotropic glutamate agonists and a new class of translocator protein enhancers of GABA, both of which subsequently showed anti-panic properties in clinical trials. All of these data suggest that this preparation provides a strong preclinical model of some forms of human panic disorders. PMID:22484112

Ambient ozone concentration and emergency department visits for panic attacks.

PubMed

Cho, Jaelim; Choi, Yoon Jung; Sohn, Jungwoo; Suh, Mina; Cho, Seong-Kyung; Ha, Kyoung Hwa; Kim, Changsoo; Shin, Dong Chun

2015-03-01

The effect of ambient air pollution on panic disorder in the general population has not yet been thoroughly elucidated, although the occurrence of panic disorder in workers exposed to organic solvents has been reported previously. We investigated the association of ambient air pollution with the risk of panic attack-related emergency department visits. Using health insurance claims, we collected data from emergency department visits for panic attacks in Seoul, Republic of Korea (2005-2009). Daily air pollutant concentrations were obtained using automatic monitoring system data. We conducted a time-series study using a generalized additive model with Poisson distribution, which included spline variables (date of visit, daily mean temperature, and relative humidity) and parametric variables (daily mean air pollutant concentration, national holiday, and day of the week). In addition to single lag models (lag1 to lag3), cumulative lag models (lag0-1 to lag0-3) were constructed using moving-average concentrations on the days leading up to the visit. The risk was expressed as relative risk (RR) per one standard deviation of each air pollutant and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 2320 emergency department visits for panic attacks were observed during the study period. The adjusted RR of panic attack-related emergency department visits was 1.051 (95% CI, 1.014-1.090) for same-day exposure to ozone. In cumulative models, adjusted RRs were 1.068 (1.029-1.107) in lag0-2 and 1.074 (1.035-1.114) in lag0-3. The ambient ozone concentration was significantly associated with emergency department visits for panic attacks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rate of improvement during and across three treatments for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia: cognitive behavioral therapy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or both combined.

PubMed

Van Apeldoorn, Franske J; Van Hout, Wiljo J P J; Timmerman, Marieke E; Mersch, Peter Paul A; den Boer, Johan A

2013-09-05

Existing literature on panic disorder (PD) yields no data regarding the differential rates of improvement during Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) or both combined (CBT+SSRI). Patients were randomized to CBT, SSRI or CBT+SSRI which each lasted one year including three months of medication taper. Participating patients kept record of the frequency of panic attacks throughout the full year of treatment. Rate of improvement on panic frequency and the relationship between rate of improvement and baseline agoraphobia (AG) were examined. A significant decline in frequency of panic attacks was observed for each treatment modality. SSRI and CBT+SSRI were associated with a significant faster rate of improvement as compared to CBT. Gains were maintained after tapering medication. For patients with moderate or severe AG, CBT+SSRI was associated with a more rapid improvement on panic frequency as compared to patients receiving either mono-treatment. Frequency of panic attacks was not assessed beyond the full year of treatment. Second, only one process variable was used. Patients with PD respond well to each treatment as indicated by a significant decline in panic attacks. CBT is associated with a slower rate of improvement as compared to SSRI and CBT+SSRI. Discontinuation of SSRI treatment does not result in a revival of frequency of panic attacks. Our data suggest that for patients without or with only mild AG, SSRI-only will suffice. For patients with moderate or severe AG, the combined CBT+SSRI treatment is recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applied relaxation vs cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of panic disorder.

PubMed

Ost, L G; Westling, B E

1995-02-01

The present study investigated the efficacy of a coping-technique, applied relaxation (AR) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), in the treatment of panic disorder. Thirty-eight outpatients fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder with no (n = 30) or mild (n = 8) avoidance were assessed with independent assessor ratings, self-report scales and self-observation of panic attacks before and after treatment, and at a 1-yr follow-up. The patients were treated individually for 12 weekly sessions. The results showed that both treatments yielded very large improvements, which were maintained, or furthered at follow-up. There was no difference between AR and CBT on any measure. The proportion of panic-free patients were 65 and 74% at post-treatment, and 82 and 89% at follow-up, for AR and CBT, respectively. There were no relapses at follow-up, on the contrary 55% of the patients who still had panic attacks at post-treatment were panic-free at follow-up. Besides affecting panic attacks the treatments also yielded marked and lasting changes on generalized anxiety, depression and cognitive misinterpretations. The conclusion that can be drawn is that both AR and CBT are effective treatments for panic disorder without avoidance.

Effect of single doses of pindolol and d-fenfluramine on flumazenil-induced anxiety in panic disorder patients.

PubMed

Bernik, M; Ramos, R T; Hetem, L A B; Graeff, F

2017-11-04

The effects of the 5-HT 1A receptor blocker pindolol and the 5-HT releasing and uptake blocking agent d-fenfluramine, both used as indirect serotonin agonists, on flumazenil-induced acute anxiety reactions were studied in panic disorder patients to test the hypothesis that serotonin (5-HT) inhibits neural systems mediating panic attacks. Thirty never treated or drug free PD patients (16 females) aged 22-49 y (mean±SD, 32.9±8) received single doses of d-fenfluramine (n=10; 30mg, p.o.), pindolol (n=10; 5mg, p.o.), or placebo (n=10) 90 and 45min before a challenge test with flumazenil (1.5mg, i.v., in 10min), under double-blind conditions. Panic attacks occurred in 5 control subjects (placebo-flumazenil group), 5 subjects in the pindolol group and in 7 in the d-fenluramine pre-treated patients. Patients experiencing anxiety attacks following flumazenil reported higher increases in anxiety scores. Respiratory rate increases were not different between patients experiencing or not a panic attack. Despite sample size limitation, this study suggests that flumazenil induced anxiety reaction is not a good pharmacological model of panic attacks, considering the absence of serotonergic modulation of its effects. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Treating Panic Disorder Hypnotically.

PubMed

Reid, David B

2017-10-01

A hypnosis protocol for treating panic disorder is provided. The implementation of this protocol is demonstrated through a case example involving the successful treatment of a 28-year-old firefighter presenting with a 4-month history of near-daily panic attacks. Core principles associated with this protocol include: (1) Elementary education about the physiology of panic; (2) A review of primary factors contributing to the evolution and manifestation of panic; (3) Encouragement of physical activity; (4) Utilization of hypnosis applications; and (5) Monitoring and measuring progress evidenced by a reduction in the frequency and intensity of panic attacks. Six years after his last hypnosis session, "Jason," the once panicked firefighter returned to my office for concerns unrelated to panic, and reported that he remained panic-free, retained his job, and was twice promoted.

A prospective cohort study to refine and validate the Panic Screening Score for identifying panic attacks associated with unexplained chest pain in the emergency department

PubMed Central

Foldes-Busque, Guillaume; Denis, Isabelle; Poitras, Julien; Fleet, Richard P; Archambault, Patrick; Dionne, Clermont E

2013-01-01

Introduction Panic-like anxiety (panic attacks with or without panic disorder), a highly treatable condition, is the most prevalent condition associated with unexplained chest pain in the emergency department. Panic-like anxiety may be responsible for a significant portion of the negative consequences of unexplained chest pain, such as functional limitations and chronicity. However, more than 92% of panic-like anxiety cases remain undiagnosed at the time of discharge from the emergency department. The 4-item Panic Screening Score (PSS) questionnaire was derived in order to increase the identification of panic-like anxiety in emergency department patients with unexplained chest pain. Methods and analysis The goals of this prospective cohort study were to (1) refine the PSS; (2) validate the revised version of the PSS; (3) measure the reliability of the revised version of the PSS and (4) assess the acceptability of the instrument among emergency physicians. Eligible and consenting patients will be administered the PSS in a large emergency department. Patients will be contacted by phone for administration of the criterion standard for panic attacks as well as by a standardised interview to collect information for other predictors of panic attacks. Multivariate analysis will be used to refine the PSS. The new version will be prospectively validated in an independent sample and inter-rater agreement will be assessed in 10% of cases. The screening instrument acceptability will be assessed with the Ottawa Acceptability of Decision Rules Instrument. Ethics and dissemination This study protocol has been reviewed and approved by the Alphonse-Desjardins research ethics committee. The results of the study will be presented in scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Further dissemination via workshops and a dedicated website is planned. PMID:24163208

Chest Pain

MedlinePlus

... causes Chest pain can also be caused by: Panic attack. If you have periods of intense fear accompanied ... fear of dying, you may be experiencing a panic attack. Shingles. Caused by a reactivation of the chickenpox ...

Shortness-of-Breath

MedlinePlus

... can lead to shortness of breath include anxiety, panic attacks, anemia and even constipation. The experience of shortness ... are used to treat patients with anxiety or panic attacks. Other commonly used drugs include bronchodilators to widen ...

Panic Disorder

MedlinePlus

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror ... their lives and they cannot leave their homes. Panic disorder is more common in women than men. It ...

Panic attack history and anxiety sensitivity in relation to cognitive-based smoking processes among treatment-seeking daily smokers.

PubMed

Johnson, Kirsten A; Farris, Samantha G; Schmidt, Norman B; Smits, Jasper A J; Zvolensky, Michael J

2013-01-01

Empirical research has found that panic attacks are related to increased risk of more severe nicotine withdrawal and poor cessation outcome. Anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of anxiety and related sensations) has similarly been found to be related to an increased risk of acute nicotine withdrawal and poorer cessation outcome. However, research has yet to examine the relative contributions of panic attacks and AS in terms of cognitive-based smoking processes (e.g., negative reinforcement smoking expectancies, addictive and negative affect-based reduction smoking motives, barriers to cessation, problem symptoms experienced while quitting). Participants (n = 242; 57.4% male; M (age) = 38.1) were daily smokers recruited as a part of a larger randomized control trial for smoking cessation. It was hypothesized that both panic attacks and AS would uniquely and independently predict the studied cognitive-based smoking processes. As hypothesized, AS was uniquely and positively associated with all smoking processes after controlling for average number of cigarettes smoked per day, current Axis I diagnosis, and participant sex. However, panic attack history was only significantly related to problem symptoms experienced while quitting smoking. Although past research has demonstrated significant associations between panic attacks and certain aspects of cigarette smoking (e.g., severity of nicotine withdrawal; lower abstinence rates, and negative affect reduction motives), the present findings suggest that AS may be more relevant to understanding beliefs about and motives for smoking behavior as well as perceptions of cessation-related difficulties.

Blood B-type natriuretic peptide level increases in patients who complain shortness of breath and chest pain in the course of panic attack.

PubMed

Vural, Mutlu; Akbas, Befru; Acer, Mehmet; Karabay, Ocal

2007-04-25

Blood pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) level increases in case of myocardial ischemia and myocardial volume or pressure overload. The aim of this study is to measure changes in blood pro-BNP level during the course of panic attack with symptoms of chest pain and/or dyspnea. Patients who were admitted to the emergency room with panic attack have been regarded as the study group. Blood pro-BNP level has been measured during follow-up of the patients upon admission and 2h later. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate were significantly decreased (p<0.0001) during follow-up of the patients (ages between 18 and 43 years; mean 26+/-6.13 years). Paradoxically, blood pro-BNP level of patients was significantly increased during the same period (52.86+/-59.73 versus 50.97+/-57.42 U/L; p<0.0001). Blood pro-BNP level has increased among patients who have complained chest pain and/or dyspnea as symptoms of panic attack. It is thought that chest pain and dyspnea in the course of panic attack may not be purely psychological.

Got Anxiety? Get Help: Tips for College Students

MedlinePlus

... anticipation of another panic attack and feelings of terror or impending doom Realistic fear of a threatening ... embarrassment or ridicule Panic Disorder: Severe attacks of terror, which may feel like you’re having a ...

The brain acid-base homeostasis and serotonin: A perspective on the use of carbon dioxide as human and rodent experimental model of panic.

PubMed

Leibold, N K; van den Hove, D L A; Esquivel, G; De Cort, K; Goossens, L; Strackx, E; Buchanan, G F; Steinbusch, H W M; Lesch, K P; Schruers, K R J

2015-06-01

Panic attacks (PAs), the core feature of panic disorder, represent a common phenomenon in the general adult population and are associated with a considerable decrease in quality of life and high health care costs. To date, the underlying pathophysiology of PAs is not well understood. A unique feature of PAs is that they represent a rare example of a psychopathological phenomenon that can be reliably modeled in the laboratory in panic disorder patients and healthy volunteers. The most effective techniques to experimentally trigger PAs are those that acutely disturb the acid-base homeostasis in the brain: inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2), hyperventilation, and lactate infusion. This review particularly focuses on the use of CO2 inhalation in humans and rodents as an experimental model of panic. Besides highlighting the different methodological approaches, the cardio-respiratory and the endocrine responses to CO2 inhalation are summarized. In addition, the relationships between CO2 level, changes in brain pH, the serotonergic system, and adaptive physiological and behavioral responses to CO2 exposure are presented. We aim to present an integrated psychological and neurobiological perspective. Remaining gaps in the literature and future perspectives are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ventilatory control of heart rate during inhalation of 5% CO2 and types of panic attacks.

PubMed

Ley, R

1991-09-01

Differences in the magnitude of increases in heart rate during prolonged inhalation of 5% CO2 range from a mean of 25 b/min for a group of eight panic-disorder patients who panicked (Woods, Charney, Goodman, & Heninger, 1988. Archives of General Psychiatry, 45, 43-52) to zero b/min for 16 patients, eight of whom panicked (Craske & Barlow, 1990. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 99, 302-307). What accounts for this disparity? The present paper describes how heart rate can be increased by means of voluntary overbreathing during prolonged inhalation of 5% CO2 in air. This suggests that differences in the degree of overbreathing may explain differences in the magnitude of increases in heart rate during inhalation of 5% CO2. An explanation is also offered for the curious finding that some patients experience "panic attacks" with zero increase in heart rate. Evidence suggests that this is likely to happen in cognitively based panic attacks, in contrast to hyperventilatory attacks or anticipatory attacks.

Panic disorder and incident coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

PubMed

Tully, Phillip J; Wittert, Gary A; Turnbull, Deborah A; Beltrame, John F; Horowitz, John D; Cosh, Suzanne; Baumeister, Harald

2015-03-25

The clinical presentation of panic disorder and panic attack overlaps many symptoms typically experienced in coronary heart disease (CHD). Etiological links between panic disorder and CHD are controversial and remain largely tenuous. This systematic review aims to pool together data regarding panic disorder with respect to incident CHD or myocardial infarction. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and SCOPUS) will be searched using a search strategy exploding the topics for CHD and panic disorder. Authors and reference lists of included studies will also be contacted to identify additional published and unpublished studies. Eligibility criteria are as follows: persons without CHD who meet criteria for panic disorder, panic attack, anxiety neurosis or elevated panic disorder symptoms; Comparison: persons without CHD who do not meet criteria for panic disorder, panic attack, anxiety neurosis or elevated panic disorder symptoms; verified fatal and non-fatal CHD at follow-up; including coronary revascularization procedure, coronary artery disease, and myocardial infarction. Studies adopting self-report CHD will be ineligible. Screening will be undertaken by two independent reviewers with disagreements resolved through discussion. Data extraction will include original data specified as hazard ratios, risk ratios, and original cell data if available. Risk of bias assessment will be undertaken by two independent reviewers. Meta-analytic methods will be used to synthesize the data collected relating to the CHD outcomes with Cochrane Review Manager 5.3. This systematic review aims to clarify whether panic disorder is associated with elevated risk for subsequent CHD. An evaluation of the etiological links between panic disorder with incident CHD might inform evidence-based clinical practice and policy concerning triaging chest pain patients, diagnostic assessment, and psychiatric intervention with panic disorder patients. PROSPERO CRD42014014891 .

Personality disorder functioning styles are associated with the effects of the cognitive-behavioral therapy for panic disorder: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Chen, Wanzhen; Hu, Jing; Xu, Shaofang; Shen, Mowei; Chai, Hao; Wang, Wei

2014-06-01

The effect of the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for panic disorder varies, but how personality disorder functioning style influences it remains unclear. In 30 healthy volunteers and 44 patients with panic disorder (22 treated and 22 waiting list), we administered the Parker Personality Measure (PERM) and the Plutchik-van Praag Depression Inventory (PVP). Before and during the CBT or waiting period, patients were asked to record their panic attacks using the Panic Attack Record (PAR). Patients scored significantly higher on PERM Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Avoident, Dependent, and Passive-aggressive styles and on depression. After CBT, all PAR parameters were significantly reduced in the treated group. The Obsessive-compulsive style was positively correlated with the panic attack duration and the total-thought before CBT or waiting period in all patients. In treated patients, the decreased panic attack duration was positively correlated with Histrionic, Obsessive-compulsive and Passive-aggressive; the decreased total symptom number was positively correlated with Antisocial and Histrionic; the decreased total-sensation was positively correlated with antisocial; and the total-thought was positively correlated with Narcissistic style. The length and duration of CBT was short and mainly with behavioral strategies, how personality influenced the related cognition per se remains unknown here. However, our preliminary results indicate that personality disorder functioning styles related to the externalized behaviors and the Obsessive-compulsive style have positive effects on CBT for panic disorder, implying that CBT practitioners should note their personality styles when treating these patients.

Panic attack symptoms differentiate patients with epilepsy from those with psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNES).

PubMed

Hendrickson, Rick; Popescu, Alexandra; Dixit, Ronak; Ghearing, Gena; Bagic, Anto

2014-08-01

Psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNES) are frequently challenging to differentiate from epileptic seizures. The experience of panic attack symptoms during an event may assist in distinguishing PNES from seizures secondary to epilepsy. A retrospective analysis of 354 patients diagnosed with PNES (N=224) or with epilepsy (N=130) investigated the thirteen Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV-Text Revision panic attack criteria endorsed by the two groups. We found a statistically higher mean number of symptoms reported by patients with PNES compared with those with epilepsy. In addition, the majority of the panic attack symptoms including heart palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, choking feeling, chest discomfort, dizziness/unsteadiness, derealization or depersonalization, fear of dying, paresthesias, and chills or hot flashes were significantly more frequent in those with PNES. As patients with PNES frequently have poor clinical outcomes, treatment addressing the anxiety symptomatology may be beneficial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in neuroactive steroid secretion associated with CO2-induced panic attacks in normal individuals.

PubMed

Brambilla, Francesca; Perini, Giulia; Serra, Mariangela; Pisu, Maria Giuseppina; Zanone, Stefano; Toffanin, Tommaso; Milleri, Stefano; Garcia, Cristina Segura; Biggio, Giovanni

2013-10-01

Neuroactive steroids modulate anxiety in experimental animals and possibly in humans. The secretion of these compounds has been found to be altered in panic disorder (PD), with such alterations having been suggested to be a possible cause or effect of panic symptomatology. Panic-like attacks can be induced in healthy individuals by administration of panicogenic agents or by physical procedures, and we have now measured the plasma concentrations of neuroactive steroids in such individuals before, during, and after panicogenic inhalation of CO2 in order to investigate whether abnormalities of neuroactive steroid secretion might contribute to the pathogenesis of PD. Fifty-nine psychologically and physically healthy subjects, including 42 women (11 in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, 14 in the luteal phase, and 17 taking contraceptive pills) and 17 men, who experienced a panic-like attack on previous exposure to 7% CO2 were again administered 7% CO2 for 20min. Thirty-three of these individuals (responders) again experienced a panic-like attack, whereas the remaining 26 subjects did not (nonresponders). All subjects were examined with the VAS-A and PSL-III-R scales for anxiety and panic symptomatology before and after CO2 inhalation. The plasma concentrations of progesterone, 3α,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone (3α,5α-THPROG=allopregnanolone), 3α,5α-tetrahydrodesoxycorticosterone (3α,5α-THDOC), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and cortisol were measured 15min and immediately before the onset of CO2 administration as well as immediately, 10, 30, and 50min after the end of CO2 inhalation. Neuroactive steroids were measured in the laboratory of Prof. Biggio in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. Neurosteroid levels did not change significantly in both responders and nonresponders before, during, or after CO2 inhalation. These data suggest that neuroactive steroid concentrations before, during, or after CO2 inhalation do not seem to correlate with panic symptomatology during panic-like attacks in subjects not affected by PD, and they therefore do not support the notion that abnormalities in neuroactive steroid secretion are either a cause or an effect of such attacks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feared consequences of panic attacks in panic disorder: a qualitative and quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Raffa, Susan D; White, Kamila S; Barlow, David H

2004-01-01

Cognitions are hypothesized to play a central role in panic disorder (PD). Previous studies have used questionnaires to assess cognitive content, focusing on prototypical cognitions associated with PD; however, few studies have qualitatively examined cognitions associated with the feared consequences of panic attacks. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of feared consequences of panic attacks. The initial, qualitative analysis resulted in the development of 32 categories of feared consequences. The categories were derived from participant responses to a standardized, semi-structured question (n = 207). Five expert-derived categories were then utilized to quantitatively examine the relationship between cognitions and indicators of PD severity. Cognitions did not predict PD severity; however, correlational analyses indicated some predictive validity to the expert-derived categories. The qualitative analysis identified additional areas of patient-reported concern not included in previous research that may be important in the assessment and treatment of PD.

Cardiac sarcoidosis resembling panic disorder: a case report.

PubMed

Tokumitsu, Keita; Demachi, Jun; Yamanoi, Yukichi; Oyama, Shigeto; Takeuchi, Junko; Yachimori, Koji; Yasui-Furukori, Norio

2017-01-13

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology, in which granulomas develop in various organs, including the skin, lungs, eyes, or heart. It has been reported that patients with sarcoidosis are more likely to develop panic disorder than members of the general population. However, there are many unknown factors concerning the causal relationship between these conditions. We present the case of a 57-year-old woman who appeared to have panic disorder, as she experienced repeated panic attacks induced by transient complete atrioventricular block, associated with cardiac sarcoidosis. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy were not effective in the treatment of her panic attacks. However, when we implanted a permanent pacemaker and initiated steroid treatment for cardiac sarcoidosis, panic attacks were ameliorated. Based on these findings, we diagnosed the patient's symptoms as an anxiety disorder associated with cardiac sarcoidosis, rather than panic disorder. This report highlights the importance of considering cardiac sarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of panic disorder. This cardiac disease should be considered especially in patients have a history of cardiac disease (e.g., arrhythmia) and atypical presentations of panic symptoms. Panic disorder is a psychiatric condition that is typically diagnosed after other medical conditions have been excluded. Because the diagnosis of sarcoidosis is difficult in some patients, caution is required. The palpitations and symptoms of heart failure associated with cardiac sarcoidosis can be misdiagnosed as psychiatric symptoms of panic disorder. The condition described in the current case study appears to constitute a physical disease, the diagnosis of which requires significant consideration and caution.

Cerebral correlates of heart rate variations during a spontaneous panic attack in the fMRI scanner.

PubMed

Spiegelhalder, Kai; Hornyak, Magdolna; Kyle, Simon David; Paul, Dominik; Blechert, Jens; Seifritz, Erich; Hennig, Jürgen; Tebartz van Elst, Ludger; Riemann, Dieter; Feige, Bernd

2009-12-01

We report the first published case study of a suddenly occurring panic attack in a patient with no prior history of panic disorder during combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 1.5 Tesla) and electrocardiogram (ECG) recording. The single case was a 46-year-old woman who developed a panic attack near the planned end of the fMRI acquisition session, which therefore had to be aborted. Correlational analysis of heart rate fluctuations and fMRI data revealed a significant negative association in the left middle temporal gyrus. Additionally, regions-of-interest (ROI) analyses indicated significant positive associations in the left amygdala, and trends towards significance in the right amygdala and left insula.

Laboratory test of a novel structural model of anxiety sensitivity and panic vulnerability.

PubMed

Bernstein, Amit; Zvolensky, Michael J; Zvolensky, Michael J; Schmidt, Norman B

2009-06-01

The current study evaluated a novel latent structural model of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in relation to panic vulnerability among a sample of young adults (N=216). AS was measured using the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Reiss, Peterson, Gursky, & McNally, 1986), and panic vulnerability was indexed by panic attack responding to a single administration of a 4-minute, 10% CO(2) challenge. As predicted, vulnerability for panic attack responding to biological challenge was associated with dichotomous individual differences between taxonic AS classes and continuous within-taxon class individual differences in AS physical concerns. Findings supported the AS taxonic-dimensional hypothesis of AS latent structure and panic vulnerability. These findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and clinical implications.

Evaluation of diagnostic criteria for panic attack using item response theory: findings from the National Comorbidity Survey in USA.

PubMed

Ietsugu, Tetsuji; Sukigara, Masune; Furukawa, Toshiaki A

2007-12-01

The dichotomous diagnostic systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) lose much important information concerning what each symptom can offer. This study explored the characteristics and performances of DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria items for panic attack using modern item response theory (IRT). The National Comorbidity Survey used the Composite International Diagnostic Interview to assess 14 DSM-IV and ICD-10 panic attack diagnostic criteria items in the general population in the USA. The dimensionality and measurement properties of these items were evaluated using dichotomous factor analysis and the two-parameter IRT model. A total of 1213 respondents reported at least one subsyndromal or syndromal panic attack in their lifetime. Factor analysis indicated that all items constitute a unidimensional construct. The two-parameter IRT model produced meaningful and interpretable results. Among items with high discrimination parameters, the difficulty parameter for "palpitation" was relatively low, while those for "choking," "fear of dying" and "paresthesia" were relatively high. Several items including "dry mouth" and "fear of losing control" had low discrimination parameters. The item characteristics of diagnostic criteria among help-seeking clinical populations may be different from those that we observed in the general population and deserve further examination. "Paresthesia," "choking" and "fear of dying" can be thought to be good indicators of severe panic attacks, while "palpitation" can discriminate well between cases and non-cases at low level of panic attack severity. Items such as "dry mouth" would contribute less to the discrimination.

Panic disorder and agoraphobia: an overview and commentary on DSM-5 changes.

PubMed

Asmundson, Gordon J G; Taylor, Steven; Smits, Jasper A J

2014-06-01

The recently published DSM-5 contains a number of changes pertinent to panic disorder and agoraphobia. These changes include separation of panic disorder and agoraphobia into separate diagnoses, the addition of criteria and guidelines for distinguishing agoraphobia from specific phobia, the addition of a 6-month duration requirement for agoraphobia, the addition of panic attacks as a specifier to any DSM-5 diagnosis, changes to descriptors of panic attack types, as well as various changes to the descriptive text. It is crucial that clinicians and researchers working with individuals presenting with panic attacks and panic-like symptoms understand these changes. The purpose of the current paper is to provide a summary of the main changes, to critique the changes in the context of available empirical evidence, and to highlight clinical implications and potential impact on mental health service utilization. Several of the changes have the potential to improve access to evidence-based treatment; yet, although certain changes appear justified in that they were based on converging evidence from different empirical sources, other changes appear questionable, at least based on the information presented in the DSM-5 text and related publications. Ongoing research of DSM-5 panic disorder and agoraphobia as well as application of the new diagnostic criteria in clinical contexts is needed to further inform the strengths and limitations of DSM-5 conceptualizations of panic disorder and agoraphobia. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Deleterious Results of Safety Seeking Behaviours in Panic Disorder: Polydipsia and Diabetes Mellitus Type 2].

PubMed

Kurt, Emel; Karabaş, Özer; Yorguner, Neşe; Wurz, Axel; Topçuoğlu, Volkan

2016-01-01

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that involves recurrent panic attacks, which emerge when a harmless stimulus is interpreted as "catastrophic". In an attempt to avoid the panic attack or prevent confrontation, the patient exhibits a dysfunctional attitude and behavior, such as evasion and safety-seeking behavior (SSB). Dysfunctional behavior leads to an increase in the recurrence of panic attacks and affects the patient's life in a negative way. According to the cognitive behavioral therapy model, SSB contributes to the continuation of unrealistic beliefs (e.g. physical experiences) regarding and prevents the patient from grasping new information that may potentially contradict the unrealistic cognitions. In this paper, we present a case with a primary diagnosis of panic disorder. Interestingly, this patient developed diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 and psychogenic polydipsia (PPD) as a consequence of his SSB. PPD is a common occurrence in patients with psychiatric disorders, especially in schizophrenia. Up to now, no case of a panic disorder with either DM or PPD has been reported in the literature. While it is accepted that major depression poses a risk for DM type 2, panic disorder may also increase this risk. Treatment of the panic disorder with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) resulted in improvement of PPD and DM type 2. In conclusion, the role of SSB in medical disorders accompanied by psychiatric disorders should be kept in mind when treating these patients.

Clustering of trauma and associations with single and co-occurring depression and panic attack over twenty years.

PubMed

McCutcheon, Vivia V; Heath, Andrew C; Nelson, Elliot C; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Madden, Pamela A F; Martin, Nicholas G

2010-02-01

Individuals who experience one type of trauma often experience other types, yet few studies have examined the clustering of trauma. This study examines the clustering of traumatic events and associations of trauma with risk for single and co-occurring major depressive disorder (MDD) and panic attack for 20 years after first trauma. Lifetime histories of MDD, panic attack, and traumatic events were obtained from participants in an Australian twin sample. Latent class analysis was used to derive trauma classes based on each respondent's trauma history. Associations of the resulting classes and of parental alcohol problems and familial effects with risk for a first onset of single and co-occurring MDD and panic attack were examined from the year of first trauma to 20 years later. Traumatic events clustered into three distinct classes characterized by endorsement of little or no trauma, primarily nonassaultive, and primarily assaultive events. Individuals in the assaultive class were characterized by a younger age at first trauma, a greater number of traumatic events, and high rates of parental alcohol problems. Members of the assaultive trauma class had the strongest and most enduring risk for single and co-occurring lifetime MDD and panic attack. Assaultive trauma outweighed associations of familial effects and nonassaultive trauma with risk for 10 years following first trauma.

Cerebral blood flow changes during sodium-lactate-induced panic attacks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, R.S.; Devous, M.D. Sr.; Rush, A.J.

1988-04-01

Dynamic single-photon emission computed axial tomography (CAT) with inhaled xenon-133 was used to measure regional cerebral blood flow in 10 drug-free patients with DSM-III-diagnosed panic disorder and in five normal control subjects. All subjects underwent regional cerebral blood flow studies while at rest or during normal saline infusion and during sodium lactate infusion. Six of the 10 patients and none of the control subjects experienced lactate-induced panic attacks. Lactate infusion markedly raised hemispheric blood flow levels in both control subjects and patients who did not panic. Patients who did panic experienced either a minimal increase or a decrease in hemisphericmore » blood flow.« less

Milnacipran in panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder: a case report.

PubMed

Chen, Mu-Hong; Liou, Ying-Jay

2011-01-01

A 51-year-old woman had panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder sequentially. The aforementioned symptoms subsided significantly after treatment with milnacipran, 125 mg, administered daily for 2 months. However, panic attacks with agoraphobia were noted frequently when she tapered down milnacipran to 50 mg daily. She consequently experienced depression that gradually increased in degree, with poor energy, poor sleep, thoughts of helplessness, and ideas of death. After administration of a daily dose of 125 mg of milnacipran for 1 month, her panic attacks with agoraphobia and depressed mood were again alleviated. The present report shows significant effects of milnacipran on the comorbidity of panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder.

Caffeine challenge test and panic disorder: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Vilarim, Marina Machado; Rocha Araujo, Daniele Marano; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2011-08-01

This systematic review aimed to examine the results of studies that have investigated the induction of panic attacks and/or the anxiogenic effect of the caffeine challenge test in patients with panic disorder. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde and the ISI Web of Knowledge. The words used for the search were caffeine, caffeine challenge test, panic disorder, panic attacks and anxiety disorder. In total, we selected eight randomized, double-blind studies where caffeine was administered orally, and none of them controlled for confounding factors in the analysis. The percentage of loss during follow-up ranged between 14.3% and 73.1%. The eight studies all showed a positive association between caffeine and anxiogenic effects and/or panic disorder.

Panic Anxiety in Humans with Bilateral Amygdala Lesions: Pharmacological Induction via Cardiorespiratory Interoceptive Pathways.

PubMed

Khalsa, Sahib S; Feinstein, Justin S; Li, Wei; Feusner, Jamie D; Adolphs, Ralph; Hurlemann, Rene

2016-03-23

We previously demonstrated that carbon dioxide inhalation could induce panic anxiety in a group of rare lesion patients with focal bilateral amygdala damage. To further elucidate the amygdala-independent mechanisms leading to aversive emotional experiences, we retested two of these patients (B.G. and A.M.) to examine whether triggering palpitations and dyspnea via stimulation of non-chemosensory interoceptive channels would be sufficient to elicit panic anxiety. Participants rated their affective and sensory experiences following bolus infusions of either isoproterenol, a rapidly acting peripheral β-adrenergic agonist akin to adrenaline, or saline. Infusions were administered during two separate conditions: a panic induction and an assessment of cardiorespiratory interoception. Isoproterenol infusions induced anxiety in both patients, and full-blown panic in one (patient B.G.). Although both patients demonstrated signs of diminished awareness for cardiac sensation, patient A.M., who did not panic, reported a complete lack of awareness for dyspnea, suggestive of impaired respiratory interoception. These findings indicate that the amygdala may play a role in dynamically detecting changes in cardiorespiratory sensation. The induction of panic anxiety provides further evidence that the amygdala is not required for the conscious experience of fear induced via interoceptive sensory channels. We found that monozygotic twins with focal bilateral amygdala lesions report panic anxiety in response to intravenous infusions of isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist similar to adrenaline. Heightened anxiety was evident in both twins, with one twin experiencing a panic attack. The twin who did not panic displayed signs of impaired cardiorespiratory interoception, including a complete absence of dyspnea sensation. These findings highlight that the amygdala is not strictly required for the experience of panic anxiety, and suggest that neural systems beyond the amygdala are also involved. Determining these additional systems could provide key neural modulation targets for future anxiolytic treatments. Copyright © 2016 Khalsa, Feinstein et al.

Periaqueductal grey stimulation induced panic-like behaviour is accompanied by deactivation of the deep cerebellar nuclei.

PubMed

Moers-Hornikx, Véronique M P; Vles, Johan S H; Lim, Lee Wei; Ayyildiz, Mustafa; Kaplan, Suleyman; Gavilanes, Antonio W D; Hoogland, Govert; Steinbusch, Harry W M; Temel, Yasin

2011-03-01

Until recently, the cerebellum was primarily considered to be a structure involved in motor behaviour. New anatomical and clinical evidence has shown that the cerebellum is also involved in higher cognitive functions and non-motor behavioural changes. Functional imaging in patients with anxiety disorders and in cholecystokinin tetrapeptide-induced panic-attacks shows activation changes in the cerebellum. Deep brain stimulation of the dorsolateral periaqueductal grey (dlPAG) and the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in rats has been shown to induce escape behaviour, which mimics a panic attack in humans. We used this animal model to study the neuronal activation in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCbN) using c-Fos immunohistochemistry. c-Fos expression in the DCbN decreased significantly after inducing escape behaviour by stimulation of the dlPAG and the VMH, indicating that the DCbN were deactivated. This study demonstrates that the DCbN are directly or indirectly involved in panic attacks. We suggest that the cerebellum plays a role in the selection of relevant information, and that deactivation of the cerebellar nuclei is required to allow inappropriate behaviour to occur, such as panic attacks.

When the threat comes from inside the body: a neuroscience based learning perspective of the etiology of panic disorder.

PubMed

Hamm, Alfons O; Richter, Jan; Pané-Farré, Christiane A

2014-01-01

Unexpected, recurrent panic attacks and anxious apprehension are two distinct emotional phenomena that constitute the core symptoms for diagnosing panic disorder. Taking a neuroscience perspective the current review paper presents both epidemiological and experimental psychophysiological evidence suggesting that panic attacks can be conceptualized as an unconditioned circa defense response pattern to intense internal threat stimuli, characterized by strong autonomic surge and escape behavior and abnormal plastic changes of the brain. Anxious apprehension develops after the experience of such severe panic attacks as conditioned responses to mild body symptoms. Theoretically these conditioned fear responses can be considered as post-encounter defense characterized by increased selective attention, increased threat appraisal and defensive freezing and startle potentiation evidencing altered brain circuits evoked by mild body symptoms. Agoraphobic avoidance starts very early during the defensive cascade and can be conceived as motivated behavior driven by the incentive to be in a safe context that is under control of the individual.

[Depression and anxiety--a study for validating subtypes of depression].

PubMed

Katschnig, H; Nutzinger, D O; Nouzak, A; Schanda, H; David, H

1990-07-01

Psychopathological analysis of the patterns of symptoms in 176 depressive in-patients disclosed in 73.3% of all patients the presence of anxiety symptoms: of these, 38.6% merely had diffuse anxiety, whereas 34.7% showed either additionally or alone specific anxiety symptoms such as phobias and panic attacks. Similar to the results obtained by dividing the patients into an "endogenous" and "neurotic" group, namely, that there was no difference between the subtypes in respect of triggering the depressive episodes by life events, or in respect of the suicide rate 30 months after discharge and in respect of a chronic course developing during the 2 years following the discharge, there was likewise no difference with regard to these criteria if the patients were subdivided into depressive patients without anxiety and those with anxiety symptoms. However, a subdivision of the depressive patients with anxiety symptoms into a group having only free-floating anxiety and a group with specific anxiety symptoms, resulted in a clear association with these criteria: If a phobia or panic attacks were present, triggering by life events was far more frequent than if there was only free-floating was more often chronic in the first group, but there was no difference in suicidality. The results indicate that it will be necessary to provide for a more differentiated classification of anxiety symptoms before deciding in clinical routine what steps to take wherever depression and anxiety symptoms are present side by side. The same applies to treatment studies.

[Are pathological (or vital) anxiety and common fear the same experiences? A controlled study].

PubMed

Ramos Brieva, J A; Montejo Iglesias, M L; Ponce de León, C; del Valle López, P; Lafuente López, R; Cordero Villafáfila, A; Baca García, E

1996-01-01

Some authors affirm that the anxiety of panic attacks is endogenous and of different quality that the common fear. But objective clinical data don't exist that confirm that observation. The authors study by means of a discriminant analysis the description of the anxiety made by subject with panic attacks and normal subjects with common fear. It meet a discriminant function that shows the existence of qualitative differences between both experiences. It seem to have achieved enough empirical support in order to sustain that the anxiety of panic attacks and the common fear are two qualitatively different experiences; presumably due to their several origin.

Improvement of quality of life in panic disorder with escitalopram, citalopram, or placebo.

PubMed

Bandelow, B; Stein, D J; Dolberg, O T; Andersen, H F; Baldwin, D S

2007-07-01

It has been argued that measurement of outcome in panic disorder should not be limited to monitoring the number of panic attacks, but should include all domains that affect patient quality of life. Data from a randomized prospective comparison of escitalopram, citalopram, and placebo in patients with DSM-IV panic disorder were analyzed with regard to measurements of impairment of quality of life. The subscales of the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P&A) (Panic Attacks, Agoraphobic Avoidance, Anticipatory Anxiety, Functional and Social Disability, and Worries about Health) and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) were analyzed. Treatment with escitalopram was associated with significant improvement on all 5 subscales of the P&A. Citalopram was significantly different from placebo in 3 subscales. Escitalopram and citalopram were significantly better than placebo in improving quality of life (measured by the total score of the Q-LES-Q Scale). Escitalopram was superior to placebo on 12 of 16 items of the Q-LES-Q, while citalopram was superior on 7 items. The P&A scale was more robust than measurement of panic frequency in differentiating medication from placebo. Escitalopram treatment was associated with improvement on all assessed domains that impair quality of life in panic disorder. Measurement of clinical improvement should not be solely based on panic attack frequency, but should also include assessment of a broad range of domains that affect patient quality of life.

The relationship between dlPFC activity during unpredictable threat and CO2-induced panic symptoms.

PubMed

Balderston, Nicholas L; Liu, Jeffrey; Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Ernst, Monique; Grillon, Christian

2017-11-30

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, repeated, and unexpected attacks of intense fear and overwhelming anxiety about when another attack may strike. Patients with panic disorder and healthy individuals with a history of panic attacks show a hypersensitivity to unpredictable threats, suggesting a possible link between panic and sustained anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which induced symptoms of panic relate to fear and anxiety, as well as activity in the neural systems that mediate and regulate these affective states. Psychological and physiological symptoms of panic were assessed during an 8-min 7.5% CO 2 challenge task. Psychological, physiological, and neural symptoms of fear and anxiety were measured during two sessions (one psychophysiology and one functional magnetic resonance imaging where subjects experienced several blocks of no threat (N), predictable shock (P), and unpredictable shock (U; NPU threat task). We used a principle component analysis to characterize panic susceptibility (PS), and found that PS significantly predicted dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activity to the unpredictable cue during the NPU threat task. When examining the weighted beta coefficients from this analysis, we observed that self-reported fear/anxiety during the CO 2 challenge negatively loaded onto dlPFC activity during the NPU task. Consistent with this observation, dlPFC activity during the unpredictable cue was also negatively correlated with anxiety during the NPU sessions. Together, these results suggest that panic symptoms and anxiety are regulated by the same prefrontal cognitive control system.

Anxiety Sensitivity: A Missing Piece to the Agoraphobia-without-Panic Puzzle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Chris; Wilson, Kimberly A.

2007-01-01

This article reviews the controversy surrounding the diagnosis of agoraphobia without panic attacks and proposes a key role for anxiety sensitivity in explaining agoraphobic avoidance among those who have never experienced panic. Although rare in clinical samples, agoraphobia without panic is commonly observed in population-based surveys,…

Anxiety sensitivity and panic reactivity to bodily sensations: relation to quit-day (acute) nicotine withdrawal symptom severity among daily smokers making a self-guided quit attempt.

PubMed

Marshall, Erin C; Johnson, Kirsten; Bergman, Jenna; Gibson, Laura E; Zvolensky, Michael J

2009-10-01

The current investigation explored the main and interactive effects of panic attacks in response to laboratory-induced bodily sensations and anxiety sensitivity in predicting acute nicotine withdrawal symptoms among daily smokers making a self-guided quit attempt. Participants were 99 daily smokers (58% women; M(age) = 28.4 years, SD = 11.7) who completed a battery of questionnaires, a voluntary hyperventilation challenge, and a measure of nicotine withdrawal symptoms 12 hr after making a self-guided quit attempt. Results indicated that the interaction of anxiety sensitivity and panic responsivity to the challenge predicted quit-day nicotine withdrawal symptom severity above and beyond the main effects (p < .05). The form of the interaction indicated that the relationship between postchallenge panic attack status and acute nicotine withdrawal was more robust among individuals who were low in anxiety sensitivity. Individuals who did not experience a panic attack posthyperventilation who were also low in anxiety sensitivity reported the lowest levels of nicotine withdrawal. Results suggest that anxiety sensitivity may be less relevant with regard to acute nicotine withdrawal severity among individuals with panic-related problems.

Panic attack and its correlation with acute coronary syndrome - more than just a diagnosis of exclusion.

PubMed

Soh, Keng Chuan; Lee, Cheng

2010-03-01

The panic attack is able to mimic the clinical presentation of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), to the point of being clinically indistinguishable without appropriate investigations. However, the literature actually demonstrates that the 2 conditions are more related than just being differential diagnoses. Through a review of the literature involving epidemiological studies, randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses found on a Medline search, the relation between panic disorder and ACS is explored in greater depth. Panic disorder, a psychiatric condition with recurrent panic attacks, has been found to be an independent risk factor for subsequent coronary events. This has prognostic bearing and higher mortality rates. Through activation of the sympathetic system by differing upstream mechanisms, the 2 conditions have similar presentations. Another psychiatric differential diagnosis would be that of akathisia, as an adverse effect to antidepressant medications. An overview on the investigations, diagnostic process, treatment modalities and prognoses of the two conditions is presented. Panic disorders remain under-diagnosed, but various interviews are shown to allow physicians without psychiatric training to accurately pick up the condition. Comprehensive multidisciplinary approaches are needed to help patients with both coronary heart disease and anxiety disorder.

Associations between personality traits and CCK-4-induced panic attacks in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Tõru, Innar; Aluoja, Anu; Võhma, Ulle; Raag, Mait; Vasar, Veiko; Maron, Eduard; Shlik, Jakov

2010-07-30

In this study we examined how personality disposition may affect the response to cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4; 50 microg) challenge in healthy volunteers (n=105). Personality traits were assessed with the Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP). Statistical methods employed were correlation analysis and logistic regression. The results showed that the occurrence of CCK-4-induced panic attacks was best predicted by baseline diastolic blood pressure, preceding anxiety and SSP-defined traits of lack of assertiveness, detachment, embitterment and verbal aggression. Significant interactions were noted between the above mentioned variables, modifying their individual effects. For different subsets of CCK-4-induced symptoms, the traits of physical aggression, irritability, somatic anxiety and stress susceptibility also appeared related to panic manifestations. These findings suggest that some personality traits and their interactions may influence vulnerability to CCK-4-induced panic attacks in healthy volunteers. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benzodiazepine sensitivity in panic disorder: effects of chronic alprazolam treatment.

PubMed

Cowley, D S; Roy-Byrne, P P; Radant, A; Ritchie, J C; Greenblatt, D J; Nemeroff, C B; Hommer, D W

1995-04-01

The aim of the current study was to determine the degree to which patients with panic disorder develop tolerance to subjective and physiological effects of benzodiazepine after chronic treatment with alprazolam. Response to acute administration of diazepam was assessed in 19 panic disorder patients receiving chronic treatment with alprazolam and 23 untreated panic disorder patients. At baseline in the laboratory, the two groups did not differ in peak saccadic eye movement velocity, saccade latency, short-term memory, plasma cortisol and growth hormone concentrations, heart rate, and self-rated levels of sedation and anxiety. Compared with untreated patients, alprazolam-treated patients displayed significantly less diazepam-induced change in peak saccadic velocity, saccade latency, growth hormone secretion, memory, and self-rated levels of sedation. There was no difference between groups in diazepam effects on plasma cortisol concentrations or self-rated anxiety. Within alprazolam-treated patients, diazepam-induced slowing of peak saccade velocity was significantly inversely correlated with illness severity, as measured by reported panic attacks per week and severity of phobic avoidance, but not with alprazolam dose, blood level, or duration of treatment. Because the alprazolam-treated group reported more panic attacks per week than the untreated panic patients, treated patients were divided into those who were asymptomatic versus those with continuing panic attacks. The subgroup of nine alprazolam-treated subjects who were asymptomatic also showed significantly less diazepam effects than the group of untreated panic disorder patients, suggesting that overall group differences were at least partially attributable to the development of tolerance to selected benzodiazepine effects with chronic alprazolam treatment.

Development and validation of a risk-prediction algorithm for the recurrence of panic disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Sareen, Jitender; Bolton, James; Wang, JianLi

2015-05-01

To develop and validate a risk prediction algorithm for the recurrence of panic disorder. Three-year longitudinal data were taken from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2001/2002-2004/2005). One thousand six hundred and eighty one participants with a lifetime panic disorder and who had not had panic attacks for at least 2 months at baseline were included. The development cohort included 949 participants; 732 from different census regions were in the validation cohort. Recurrence of panic disorder over the follow-up period was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule, based on the DSM-IV criteria. Logistic regression was used for deriving the algorithm. Discrimination and calibration were assessed in the development and the validation cohorts. The developed algorithm consisted of 11 predictors: age, sex, panic disorder in the past 12 months, nicotine dependence, rapid heartbeat/tachycardia, taking medication for panic attacks, feelings of choking and persistent worry about having another panic attack, two personality traits, and childhood trauma. The algorithm had good discriminative power (C statistic = 0.7863, 95% CI: 0.7487, 0.8240). The C statistic was 0.7283 (95% CI: 0.6889, 0.7764) in the external validation data set. The developed risk algorithm for predicting the recurrence of panic disorder has good discrimination and excellent calibration. Data related to the predictors can be easily attainable in routine clinical practice. It can be used by clinicians to calculate the probability of recurrence of panic disorder in the next 3 years for individual patients, communicate with patients regarding personal risks, and thus improve personalized treatment approaches. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Comparison of Alprazolam and Behavior Therapy in Treatment of Panic Disorder.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klosko, Janet S.; And Others

1990-01-01

Compared panic control treatment (PCT), behavior therapy for panic disorders, with alprazolam medication, placebo, and waiting-list control groups. Percentage of clients (N=57) completing study who were free of panic attacks following PCT was 87 percent, compared with 50 percent for alprazolam, 36 percent for placebo, and 33 percent for…

Anxiety Sensitivity and Panic Attacks: A 1-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Wen; Zinbarg, Richard E.

2007-01-01

The hypothesis that anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a risk factor for panic genesis has obtained compelling support, but the clinical/practical importance of AS in panic genesis has been questioned. In addition, the association between panic experience and AS increase has not been clearly demonstrated. Through this 1-year longitudinal study among…

Hot Flashes and Panic Attacks: A Comparison of Symptomatology, Neurobiology, Treatment, and a Role for Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanisch, Laura J.; Hantsoo, Liisa; Freeman, Ellen W.; Sullivan, Gregory M.; Coyne, James C.

2008-01-01

Despite decades of research, the causal mechanisms of hot flashes are not adequately understood, and a biopsychosocial perspective on hot flashes remains underdeveloped. This article explores overlooked parallels between hot flashes and panic attacks within 5 areas: course and symptomatology, physiological indicators, neurocircuitry and…

The Use of Paradoxical Intention in the Treatment of Panic Attacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dattilio, Frank M.

1987-01-01

Discusses the counseling use of paradoxical intention, in which clients are told to perform responses that seem incompatible with the goal for which they are seeking help. The use of paradoxical intention in the treatment of panic attacks is described and a case example is included. The nature and implementation of the technique are discussed.…

Developmental Course(s) of Lifetime Cigarette Use and Panic Attack Comorbidity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Amit; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Schmidt, Norman B.; Sachs-Ericcson, Natalie

2007-01-01

The present investigation examined the developmental course(s) of lifetime cigarette use and panic attack comorbidity. Participants included 4,409 adults, ages 15 to 54 years of age (M[Age] = 33.1, SD = 10.7, N (females) = 2,221) from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). The primary objective of the present investigation was to better understand…

Efficacy of alprazolam sublingual tablets in the treatment of the acute phase of panic disorders.

PubMed

Márquez, Miguel; Arenoso, Hector; Caruso, Norberto

2011-01-01

Panic disorder affects 2-5% of the general population. In Argentina, one million people would be affected with a 91% rate of psychiatric comorbidity. AIM; To compare efficacy parameters between sublingual (ALP-SL) and conventional (ALP-CT) tablets of alprazolam in the treatment of acute phase of panic disorder with and without agoraphobia. A comparative, multicenter (6 sites), double blind, randomized study was carried out. A total of 190 outpatients with (n=117) and without (n=73) agoraphobia were treated with ALP-SL or ALP-CT for 12 weeks. Outcome was assessed with the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI-S/CGI-I), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), Patient Global Impression (PGI), Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI), Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) also by the number of panic attacks and extension and intensity of panic attacks and anticipatory anxiety. RESULTS. Both treatments resulted in statistically significant clinical improvement in all measures. ASEX presented no changes during the study. The average dose of alprazolam for 12 weeks was 1.36 ± 0.70 mg/day (1.39 ± 0.77 ALP-CT and 1.33 ± 0.64 ALP-SL). With ALP-SL, panic attacks were shorter (p < 0.05) with shorter extension (p=0.16) and intensity of anticipatory anxiety (p=0.14). The treatment was well tolerated, there being no differences between both groups. Alprazolam has been demonstrated to have efficacy, safety and good tolerability in the treatment of the acute phase of panic disorder, the sublingual tablets showing some comparative advantages.

Carbon dioxide induces erratic respiratory responses in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Mackinnon, Dean F; Craighead, Brandie; Lorenz, Laura

2009-01-01

CO(2) respiration stimulates both anxiety and dyspnea ("air hunger") and has long been used to study panic vulnerability and respiratory control. High comorbidity with panic attacks suggests individuals with bipolar disorder may also mount a heightened anxiety response to CO(2). Moreover, problems in the arousal and modulation of appetites are central to the clinical syndromes of mania and depression; hence CO(2) may arouse an abnormal respiratory response to "air hunger". 72 individuals (34 bipolar I, 25 depressive and bipolar spectrum, 13 with no major affective diagnosis) breathed air and air with 5% CO(2) via facemask for up to 15 min each; subjective and respiratory responses were recorded. Nearly half the subjects diverged from the typical response to a fixed, mildly hypercapneic environment, which is to increase breathing acutely, and then maintain a hyperpneic plateau. The best predictors of an abnormal pattern were bipolar diagnosis and anxiety from air alone. 25 individuals had a panic response; panic responses from CO(2) were more likely in subjects with bipolar I compared to other subjects, however the best predictors of a panic response overall were anxiety from air alone and prior history of panic attacks. Heterogeneous sample, liberal definition of panic attack. Carbon dioxide produces abnormal respiratory and heightened anxiety responses among individuals with bipolar and depressive disorders. These may be due to deficits in emotional conditioning related to fear and appetite. Although preliminary, this work suggests a potentially useful test of a specific functional deficit in bipolar disorder.

The Experience of Panic Symptoms across Racial Groups in a Student Sample

PubMed Central

Barrera, Terri L.; Wilson, Kathryn P.; Norton, Peter J.

2010-01-01

While there is general agreement that, across cultures, panic disorder appears to be characterized by sudden onset of bodily sensations, such as dizziness and heart palpitations, followed by catastrophic misinterpretations of these symptoms, there remains a need for research investigating ethnic/cultural differences in the experience of panic attacks. In addition to investigating ethnic differences in the experience of panic, it is important to assess whether increased endorsement of panic symptoms translates into increased dysfunction. The present study investigated differences in the experience of panic attacks and examined the relation between symptom endorsement and overall distress and impairment in a large multiracial/ethnic student population. Preliminary analyses indicated that although overall endorsement of panic symptoms was similar across groups, differences did emerge on specific symptoms. Participants identifying as Asian tended to endorse symptoms such as dizziness, unsteadiness, choking, and feeling terrified more frequently than those identifying as Caucasian, and individuals identifying as African American reported feeling less nervous than those identifying as Caucasian. Participants of Hispanic/Latino(a) descent showed no differences from any other group on symptom endorsement. Panic symptom severity was not found to differ across racial/ethnic groups; however, the correlation between panic symptoms and panic severity was stronger for Asian and Caucasian participants than for African Americans. These results suggest that symptoms of panic may be experienced differently across racial/ethnic groups, and highlight the need for clinicians and researchers to assess panic symptoms within the context of culture. PMID:20621442

Multiple Channel Exposure Therapy: Combining Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Panic Attacks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falsetti, Sherry A.; Resnick, Heidi S.; Davis, Joanne

2005-01-01

A large proportion of patients who present for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience comorbid panic attacks, yet it is unclear to what extent currently available PTSD treatment programs address this problem. Here we describe a newly developed treatment, multiple-channel exposure therapy (M-CET), for comorbid PTSD and panic…

Lesional Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Beware the Deceitful "Panic Attack".

PubMed

Kulason, Kay O; Schneider, Julia R; Rahme, Ralph; Pramanik, Bidyut; Chong, Derek; Boockvar, John A

2018-03-01

Ganglioglioma is a rare, benign, intraaxial glioneuronal tumor but a relatively common cause of pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Given its often nonspecific neuropsychiatric manifestations and frequently negative electroencephalographic workup, TLE can be easily misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder, particularly panic attacks. We present a case of a 17-year-old boy who was found to have lesional TLE secondary to a left temporal ganglioglioma, 5 years after having been misdiagnosed with panic disorder and having undergone ineffective and unnecessary psychotherapy. He was successfully cured by surgery. Although a few similar cases of TLE masquerading as a panic disorder have been previously reported in the literature, this is the youngest and only pediatric patient described to date. This report underscores the challenges in making an accurate clinical diagnosis of TLE and the importance of timely brain imaging whenever an atypical or medically refractory panic disorder is encountered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Panic and phobic anxiety: associations among neuroticism, physiological hyperarousal, anxiety sensitivity, and three phobias.

PubMed

Longley, Susan L; Watson, David; Noyes, Russell; Yoder, Kevin

2006-01-01

A dimensional and psychometrically informed taxonomy of anxiety is emerging, but the specific and nonspecific dimensions of panic and phobic anxiety require greater clarification. In this study, confirmatory factor analyses of data from a sample of 438 college students were used to validate a model of panic and phobic anxiety with six content factors; multiple scales from self-report measures were indicators of each model component. The model included a nonspecific component of (1) neuroticism and two specific components of panic attack, (2) physiological hyperarousal, and (3) anxiety sensitivity. The model also included three phobia components of (4) classically defined agoraphobia, (5) social phobia, and (6) blood-injection phobia. In these data, agoraphobia correlated more strongly with both the social phobia and blood phobia components than with either the physiological hyperarousal or the anxiety sensitivity components. These findings suggest that the association between panic attacks and agoraphobia warrants greater attention.

Increased brain serotonin turnover in panic disorder patients in the absence of a panic attack: reduction by a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

PubMed

Esler, Murray; Lambert, Elisabeth; Alvarenga, Marlies; Socratous, Florentia; Richards, Jeff; Barton, David; Pier, Ciaran; Brenchley, Celia; Dawood, Tye; Hastings, Jacqueline; Guo, Ling; Haikerwal, Deepak; Kaye, David; Jennings, Garry; Kalff, Victor; Kelly, Michael; Wiesner, Glen; Lambert, Gavin

2007-08-01

Since the brain neurotransmitter changes characterising panic disorder remain uncertain, we quantified brain noradrenaline and serotonin turnover in patients with panic disorder, in the absence of a panic attack. Thirty-four untreated patients with panic disorder and 24 matched healthy volunteers were studied. A novel method utilising internal jugular venous sampling, with thermodilution measurement of jugular blood flow, was used to directly quantify brain monoamine turnover, by measuring the overflow of noradrenaline and serotonin metabolites from the brain. Radiographic depiction of brain venous sinuses allowed differential venous sampling from cortical and subcortical regions. The relation of brain serotonin turnover to serotonin transporter genotype and panic disorder severity were evaluated, and the influence of an SSRI drug, citalopram, on serotonin turnover investigated. Brain noradrenaline turnover in panic disorder patients was similar to that in healthy subjects. In contrast, brain serotonin turnover, estimated from jugular venous overflow of the metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, was increased approximately 4-fold in subcortical brain regions and in the cerebral cortex (P < 0.01). Serotonin turnover was highest in patients with the most severe disease, was unrelated to serotonin transporter genotype, and was reduced by citalopram (P < 0.01). Normal brain noradrenaline turnover in panic disorder patients argues against primary importance of the locus coeruleus in this condition. The marked increase in serotonin turnover, in the absence of a panic attack, possibly represents an important underlying neurotransmitter substrate for the disorder, although this point remains uncertain. Support for this interpretation comes from the direct relationship which existed between serotonin turnover and illness severity, and the finding that SSRI administration reduced serotonin turnover. Serotonin transporter genotyping suggested that increased whole brain serotonin turnover most likely derived not from impaired serotonin reuptake, but from increased firing in serotonergic midbrain raphe neurons projecting to both subcortical brain regions and the cerebral cortex.

The development of agoraphobia is associated with the symptoms and location of a patient's first panic attack.

PubMed

Hara, Naomi; Nishimura, Yukika; Yokoyama, Chika; Inoue, Ken; Nishida, Atsushi; Tanii, Hisashi; Okada, Motohiro; Kaiya, Hisanobu; Okazaki, Yuji

2012-04-11

The place where a patient experiences his/her first panic attack (FPA) may be related to their agoraphobia later in life. However, no investigations have been done into the clinical features according to the place where the FPA was experienced. In particular, there is an absence of detailed research examining patients who experienced their FPA at home. In this study, patients were classified by the location of their FPA and the differences in their clinical features were explored (e.g., symptoms of FPA, frequency of agoraphobia, and severity of FPA). The subjects comprised 830 panic disorder patients who were classified into 5 groups based on the place of their FPA (home, school/office, driving a car, in a public transportation vehicle, outside of home), The clinical features of these patients were investigated. Additionally, for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia at their initial clinic visit, the clinical features of patients who experienced their FPA at home were compared to those who experienced their attack elsewhere. In comparison of the FPAs of the 5 groups, significant differences were seen among the 7 descriptors (sex ratio, drinking status, smoking status, severity of the panic attack, depression score, ratio of agoraphobia, and degree of avoidance behavior) and 4 symptoms (sweating, chest pain, feeling dizzy, and fear of dying). The driving and public transportation group patients showed a higher incidence of co-morbid agoraphobia than did the other groups. Additionally, for panic disorder patients with co-morbid agoraphobia, the at-home group had a higher frequency of fear of dying compared to the patients in the outside-of-home group and felt more severe distress elicited by their FPA. The results of this study suggest that the clinical features of panic disorder patients vary according to the place of their FPA. The at-home group patients experienced "fear of dying" more frequently and felt more distress during their FPA than did the subjects in the other groups. These results indicate that patients experiencing their FPA at home should be treated with a focus on the fear and distress elicited by the attack.

The development of agoraphobia is associated with the symptoms and location of a patient's first panic attack

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The place where a patient experiences his/her first panic attack (FPA) may be related to their agoraphobia later in life. However, no investigations have been done into the clinical features according to the place where the FPA was experienced. In particular, there is an absence of detailed research examining patients who experienced their FPA at home. In this study, patients were classified by the location of their FPA and the differences in their clinical features were explored (e.g., symptoms of FPA, frequency of agoraphobia, and severity of FPA). Methods The subjects comprised 830 panic disorder patients who were classified into 5 groups based on the place of their FPA (home, school/office, driving a car, in a public transportation vehicle, outside of home), The clinical features of these patients were investigated. Additionally, for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia at their initial clinic visit, the clinical features of patients who experienced their FPA at home were compared to those who experienced their attack elsewhere. Results In comparison of the FPAs of the 5 groups, significant differences were seen among the 7 descriptors (sex ratio, drinking status, smoking status, severity of the panic attack, depression score, ratio of agoraphobia, and degree of avoidance behavior) and 4 symptoms (sweating, chest pain, feeling dizzy, and fear of dying). The driving and public transportation group patients showed a higher incidence of co-morbid agoraphobia than did the other groups. Additionally, for panic disorder patients with co-morbid agoraphobia, the at-home group had a higher frequency of fear of dying compared to the patients in the outside-of-home group and felt more severe distress elicited by their FPA. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the clinical features of panic disorder patients vary according to the place of their FPA. The at-home group patients experienced "fear of dying" more frequently and felt more distress during their FPA than did the subjects in the other groups. These results indicate that patients experiencing their FPA at home should be treated with a focus on the fear and distress elicited by the attack. PMID:22494552

Understanding Panic Disorder.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrix, Mary Lynn

This booklet is part of the National Institute of Mental Health's efforts to educate the public and health care professionals about panic disorder. Discussed here are the causes, definition, and symptoms of the disorder. Panic attacks, which can seriously interfere with a person's life, may strike more than three million U.S. citizens at some time…

Treatment of Panic Disorder: A Clinical Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beamish, Patricia M.; Belcastro, Amy L.; Granello, Darcy Haag

This article presents specific, practical information to guide mental health counselors in treating individuals who meet the criteria for panic disorder. It delineates the specific strategies identified in the research literature for use by mental health counselors. Full resolution of panic attacks by one form of treatment may not always be…

Characteristics of initial fearful spells and their associations with DSM-IV panic attacks and panic disorder in adolescents and young adults from the community.

PubMed

Asselmann, Eva; Pané-Farré, Christiane; Isensee, Barbara; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Lieb, Roselind; Höfler, Michael; Beesdo-Baum, Katja

2014-08-01

Few studies examined characteristics of initial fearful spells (FS) or panic attacks (PA) and their relation to DSM-IV PA and panic disorder (PD). A community sample of adolescents and young adults (N=3021) was followed up in 4 waves (T0-T3) over up to 10 years. FS, PA, and PD were assessed at each wave using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Characteristics of the initial FS/PA including perceived reasons/triggers, appraisal, duration, and behavioral/emotional consequences of the initial FS/PA were retrospectively assessed at T1 and T2 in those reporting the experience of lifetime FS or PA at these waves (N=363). Multinomial logistic regressions adjusted for sex and age were used to reveal associations of initial FS/PA characteristics (aggregated data from T1 and T2) with PA only (N=88) and PD (N=62; lifetime incidences cumulated across assessment waves) (reference group: No PA/PD). Alcohol consumption, drugs/medication, and physical illness as perceived reasons for the initial FS/PA were associated with PA-only (OR 2.46-5.44), while feelings of depression, feelings of anxiety, and having always been anxious/nervous as perceived reasons for the initial FS/PA, appraising the initial FS/PA as terrible and long-term irritating/burdensome, subsequent feelings of depression, subsequent avoidance, and subsequent consumption of medication, alcohol, or drugs were associated with PD (OR 2.64-4.15). A longer duration until "feeling okay again" was associated with both PA-only (OR=1.29 per category) and PD (OR=1.63). Initial FS/PA characteristics were necessarily assessed retrospectively by self-report only. Thus, our data might be subject to recall/evaluation biases. Aggregated data were used and strictly prospective-longitudinal studies are necessary that replicate our findings. Assessing initial FS/PA characteristics might be useful to identify individuals at increased risk for more severe panic pathology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ataque de nervios and panic disorder.

PubMed

Liebowitz, M R; Salmán, E; Jusino, C M; Garfinkel, R; Street, L; Cárdenas, D L; Silvestre, J; Fyer, A J; Carrasco, J L; Davies, S

1994-06-01

Ataque de nervios ("attack of nerves") is an illness category used frequently by Hispanic individuals to describe one or more particular symptom complexes. A review of the literature on ataque suggested some overlap with panic disorder. This study investigated the overlap with panic disorder as well as other DSM-III-R axis I disorders. Hispanic subjects seeking treatment at an anxiety disorders clinic (N = 156) were assessed with a specially designed questionnaire for self-report of ataque de nervios and panic symptoms and with structured or semistructured psychiatric interviews for axis I disorders. Seventy percent of the subjects reported at least one ataque de nervios; 80% of these were female, whereas 57% of the group without these attacks were female. There were no differences in DSM-III-R diagnoses between the groups with and without ataque de nervios. Ataque was frequently associated with one or more anxiety and affective disorders, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, recurrent major depression, and anxiety not otherwise specified. Of the 45 subjects with both ataque de nervios and primary panic disorder, 80% appeared to have labeled panic disorder as ataque. Ataque de nervios was associated with panic symptoms even in subjects without panic disorder, but the self-reporting of ataque conveyed additional clinical information about the subjects with panic disorder. Ataque de nervios was similar in frequency and symptoms among subjects of Dominican and Puerto Rican origin. Ataque de nervios overlaps with panic disorder but is a more inclusive construct. Further study of its interrelation with axis I disorders is needed.

A randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Vos, S P F; Huibers, M J H; Diels, L; Arntz, A

2012-12-01

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) seems to be as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of major depression. Because the onset of panic attacks is often related to increased interpersonal life stress, IPT has the potential to also treat panic disorder. To date, a preliminary open trial yielded promising results but there have been no randomized controlled trials directly comparing CBT and IPT for panic disorder. This study aimed to directly compare the effects of CBT versus IPT for the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Ninety-one adult patients with a primary diagnosis of DSM-III or DSM-IV panic disorder with agoraphobia were randomized. Primary outcomes were panic attack frequency and an idiosyncratic behavioral test. Secondary outcomes were panic and agoraphobia severity, panic-related cognitions, interpersonal functioning and general psychopathology. Measures were taken at 0, 3 and 4 months (baseline, end of treatment and follow-up). Intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses on the primary outcomes indicated superior effects for CBT in treating panic disorder with agoraphobia. Per-protocol analyses emphasized the differences between treatments and yielded larger effect sizes. Reductions in the secondary outcomes were equal for both treatments, except for agoraphobic complaints and behavior and the credibility ratings of negative interpretations of bodily sensations, all of which decreased more in CBT. CBT is the preferred treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia compared to IPT. Mechanisms of change should be investigated further, along with long-term outcomes.

A study of myocardial perfusion in patients with panic disorder and low risk coronary artery disease after 35% CO2 challenge.

PubMed

Fleet, Richard; Foldes-Busque, Guillaume; Grégoire, Jean; Harel, François; Laurin, Catherine; Burelle, Denis; Lavoie, Kim

2014-01-01

We have previously reported that 35% CO2 challenge induced myocardial ischemia in 81% of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with comorbid panic disorder (PD) and previous positive nuclear exercise stress tests. However, it is yet unclear whether this is the case among CAD patients with PD and normal nuclear exercise stress test results. We hypothesized that a potent mental stressor such as a panic challenge among CAD patients with PD would also induce ischemia in patients with normal exercise stress tests. Forty-one coronary artery disease patients with normal nuclear exercise stress tests (21 patients with PD and 20 without PD) were submitted to a well-established panic challenge test (with 1 vital capacity inhalation of a gas mixture containing 35% CO2 and 65% O2) and injected with Tc-99m-tetrofosmin (Myoview), upon inhalation. Single photon emission computed tomography imaging was used to assess per-panic challenge reversible myocardial ischemia and HR, BP, and a 12 lead ECG was continuously measured during the procedure. Fifty-eight percent of panic disorder patients (12/21) had a panic attack during the panic challenge vs 15% (3/20) of controls (p=0.005). Only 10% of patients in each group displayed myocardial ischemia per panic challenge. These findings suggest that panic attacks among panic disorder patients with lower-risk coronary artery disease may not confer a risk for myocardial ischemia. © 2013.

Emotion Regulation Difficulties Associated with the Experience of Uncued Panic Attacks: Evidence of Experiential Avoidance, Emotional Nonacceptance, and Decreased Emotional Clarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tull, Matthew T.; Roemer, Lizabeth

2007-01-01

Emotion regulation difficulties among nonclinical uncued panickers were examined in two studies. In Study 1, participants with a recent history of uncued panic attacks (n=91), compared to a nonpanic sample (n=91), reported significantly greater levels of experiential avoidance, lack of emotional acceptance, and lack of emotional clarity. In Study…

Auricular Chromotherapy in the Treatment of Psychologic Trauma, Phobias, and Panic Disorder

PubMed Central

Asis, Daniel Guillermo; Luz, Fabiola Andrade

2018-01-01

Abstract Auricular chromotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of psychologic trauma and anxiety disorders, such as phobias and panic attacks. With its relatively easy and quick technical application, this procedure could be an indispensable tool for physicians. However, its mechanism of action is not yet understood completely. Objective: To treat patients suffering from trauma, phobia, and panic attack with auricular chromotherapy. Materials and Methods: The protocol was applied in 160 patients (135 who experienced traumas; 15 patients with specific phobias and 10 patients with panic disorder). They are 134 women, 26 men, ages 20–60. Results: The treatment showed 93% of positive response. Conclusion: This procedure shows the possibility of drawing a path from the external ear to traumatic memories, anxiety disorders and phobias.

A Survey of Antiviral Drugs for Bioweapons: Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

person . An attack with these viruses would result in high morbidity and mortality and cause widespread panic. With the exception of smallpox and...infected cells and are not dependent upon the host cell nucleus. Possible targets for these viruses are the DNA polymerase, virus -encoded immune modulators... person to person . An attack with these viruses would result in high morbidity and mortality and cause widespread panic. With the

Khyâl attacks: a key idiom of distress among traumatized cambodia refugees.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Pich, Vuth; Marques, Luana; Nickerson, Angela; Pollack, Mark H

2010-06-01

Traumatized Cambodian refugees with PTSD often complain of khyâl attacks. The current study investigates khyâl attacks from multiple perspectives and examines the validity of a model of how khyâl attacks are generated. The study found that khyâl attacks had commonly been experienced in the previous 4 weeks and that their severity was strongly correlated with the severity of PTSD (PTSD Checklist). It was found that khyâl attacks were triggered by various processes--such as worry, trauma recall, standing up, going to a mall--and that khyâl attacks almost always met panic attack criteria. It was also found that during a khyâl attack there was great fear that death might occur from bodily dysfunction. It was likewise found that a complex nosology of khyâl attacks exists that rates the attacks on a scale of severity, that the severity determines how the khyâl attacks should be treated and that those treatments are often complex. As illustrated by the article, khyâl attacks constitute a key aspect of trauma ontology in this group, a culturally specific experiencing of anxiety and trauma-related disorder. The article also contributes to the study of trauma somatics, that is, to the study of how trauma results in specific symptoms in a specific cultural context, showing that a key part of the trauma-somatic reticulum is often a cultural syndrome.

Catastrophic misinterpretations as a predictor of symptom change during treatment for panic disorder.

PubMed

Teachman, Bethany A; Marker, Craig D; Clerkin, Elise M

2010-12-01

Cognitive models of panic disorder suggest that change in catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily sensations will predict symptom reduction. To examine change processes, we used a repeated measures design to evaluate whether the trajectory of change in misinterpretations over the course of 12-week cognitive behavior therapy is related to the trajectory of change in a variety of panic-relevant outcomes. Participants had a primary diagnosis of panic disorder (N = 43; 70% female; mean age = 40.14 years). Race or ethnicity was reported as 91% Caucasian, 5% African American, 2.3% biracial, and 2.3% "other." Change in catastrophic misinterpretations (assessed with the Brief Body Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire; Clark et al., 1997) was used to predict a variety of treatment outcomes, including overall panic symptom severity (assessed with the Panic Disorder Severity Scale [PDSS]; Shear et al., 1997), panic attack frequency (assessed with the relevant PDSS item), panic-related distress/apprehension (assessed by a latent factor, including peak anxiety in response to a panic-relevant stressor-a straw breathing task), and avoidance (assessed by a latent factor, which included the Fear Questionnaire-Agoraphobic Avoidance subscale; Marks & Mathews, 1979). Bivariate latent difference score modeling indicated that, as expected, change in catastrophic misinterpretations predicted subsequent reductions in overall symptom severity, panic attack frequency, distress/apprehension, and avoidance behavior. However, change in the various symptom domains was not typically a significant predictor of later interpretation change (except for the distress/apprehension factor). These results provide considerable support for the cognitive model of panic and speak to the temporal sequence of change processes during therapy. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Panic anxiety, under the weather?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulbena, A.; Pailhez, G.; Aceña, R.; Cunillera, J.; Rius, A.; Garcia-Ribera, C.; Gutiérrez, J.; Rojo, C.

2005-03-01

The relationship between weather conditions and psychiatric disorders has been a continuous subject of speculation due to contradictory findings. This study attempts to further clarify this relationship by focussing on specific conditions such as panic attacks and non-panic anxiety in relation to specific meteorological variables. All psychiatric emergencies attended at a general hospital in Barcelona (Spain) during 2002 with anxiety as main complaint were classified as panic or non-panic anxiety according to strict independent and retrospective criteria. Both groups were assessed and compared with meteorological data (wind speed and direction, daily rainfall, temperature, humidity and solar radiation). Seasons and weekend days were also included as independent variables. Non-parametric statistics were used throughout since most variables do not follow a normal distribution. Logistic regression models were applied to predict days with and without the clinical condition. Episodes of panic were three times more common with the poniente wind (hot wind), twice less often with rainfall, and one and a half times more common in autumn than in other seasons. These three trends (hot wind, rainfall and autumn) were accumulative for panic episodes in a logistic regression formula. Significant reduction of episodes on weekends was found only for non-panic episodes. Panic attacks, unlike other anxiety episodes, in a psychiatric emergency department in Barcelona seem to show significant meteorotropism. Assessing specific disorders instead of overall emergencies or other variables of a more general quality could shed new light on the relationship between weather conditions and behaviour.

[Pharmacotherapy of panic disorder].

PubMed

Bougerol, T; Farisse, J

1996-12-01

The concept of Panic Disorders has itself been developed on the strength of therapeutic effects of drug treatments and it is therefore not surprising that psychotropic medications are currently the main therapeutic tool for this condition. Their use may be indicated in two differing circumstances, as treatment for Panic Attack itself or as a long-term treatment for what is properly called Panic Disorder. The latter scenario is that which has been most actively studied and represents the more original side of the question. Treatment of acute Panic Attack involves administration of sedative anxiolytics, principally benzodiazepines (BZD). Long-term treatment aiming to prevent repeated attacks is the core strategy for treatment for Panic Disorder. For the past fifteen years, a large number of research projects have shown the elective anti-panic efficacy of a number of drugs, principally antidepressants and anxiolytics. The response profile to anti-depressant treatment is characterized by a lag time which is sometimes longer than that observed when they are used solely as antidepressants; frequently they are also less well tolerated which necessitates a very gradual step-up in dosage. The "classic" MAOI (non-selective and irreversible) have a proven anti-panic effect. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) anti-depressants are currently drugs of choice in the treatment of Panic Disorder. Although the anti-panic effect appears to be common to all the various SSRI drugs available, and directly attributable to their mechanism of action, not all of them however have undergone controlled studies. In France, paroxetine is the first anti-depressant in this group to obtain a marketing authorization for this particular indication. The advantages of the SSRI drugs are principally related to their limited adverse effects and lack of toxicity, thereby making them particularly straightforward to use. Benzodiazepines (BZD) are the second group of psychotropic medications which have been shown to be effective in the treatment of Panic Disorder. The major disadvantage of the BZD for this indication is chiefly related to the major risk of promoting a dependency state with the corresponding appearance of a withdrawal syndrome when treatment is stopped. This risk constitutes a major stumbling block to the use of BZD as a first-line treatment for Panic Disorder. Various other drugs have been evaluated in the treatment of Panic Disorder with varying success. The current anti-panic pharmacopoeia therefore appears to be relatively well stocked. In this context, antidepressants-especially the SSRI drugs-are the first-line treatment of choice for Panic Disorders. In all cases, it appears useful to integrate pharmacological treatment within an overall management plan for the patient with Panic Disorder, especially if it is hoped to maintain therapeutic benefit long-term.

Panic disorder phenomenology in urban self-identified Caucasian-Non-Hispanics and Caucasian-Hispanics.

PubMed

Hollifield, Michael; Finley, M Rosina; Skipper, Betty

2003-01-01

The epidemiology of panic disorder is well known, but data about some phenomenological aspects are sparse. The symptom criteria for panic disorder were developed largely from rational expert consensus methods and not from empirical research. This fact calls attention to the construct validity of the panic disorder diagnosis, which may affect accuracy of epidemiological findings. Seventy self-identified Non-Hispanic-Caucasian (Anglo) and Hispanic-Caucasian (Hispanic) people who were diagnosed with DSM-III-R panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were invited to complete a Panic Phenomenological Questionnaire (PPQ), which was constructed for this study from the Hamilton Anxiety Scale Items and The DSM-III-R panic symptoms. Fifty (71%) subjects agreed to participate, and there was no response bias detected. Seven symptoms on the PPQ that are not in the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were reported to occur with a high prevalence in this study. Furthermore, many symptoms that occurred with a high frequency and were reported to be experienced as severe are also not included in current nosology. A few of the DSM-IV criterion symptoms occurred with low prevalence, frequency, and severity. Cognitive symptoms were reported to occur with higher frequency and severity during attacks than autonomic or other symptoms. There were modest differences between ethnic groups with regard to panic attack phenomena. Further research using multiple empirical methods aimed at improving the content validity of the panic disorder diagnosis is warranted. This includes utilizing consistent methods to collect data that will allow for rational decisions about how to construct valid panic disorder criteria across cultures. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Khmer ‘Weak Heart’ Syndrome: Fear of Death from Palpitations

PubMed Central

Hinton, Devon; Hinton, Susan; Um, Khin; Chea, Audria; Sak, Sophia

2009-01-01

According to the Khmer conception, a person suffering ‘weak heart’ (khsaoy beh daung) has episodes of palpitations on slight provocation (e.g. triggered by orthostasis, anger, a noise, worry, an odor or exercise) and runs the risk of dying of heart arrest during these periods of palpitations; too, the sufferer typically has other symptoms attributed to the purported cardiac dysfunction: fatigue, shortness of breath, and orthostatic dizziness. Many Khmer refugees suffer this cultural syndrome, an anxious–dysphoria ontology, most probably of French colonial provenance. The syndrome demonstrates considerable overlap with those Western illness categories that feature panic attacks, in particular post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and panic disorder. In a psychiatric clinic survey, 60 percent (60/100) of those assessed believed themselves to currently suffer ‘weak heart’; 90 percent (54/60) of those considering themselves to suffer from ‘weak heart’ thought that palpitations (e.g., those resulting from a loud noise or orthostasis) might result in death. The article illustrates the profoundly culturally constructed nature of ‘cardiac sensations,’ located in a specific historical trajectory and episteme; too, the article suggests that trauma may result more in panic disorder than ‘PTSD’ when autonomic arousal symptoms (in the present case, palpitations) are considered potentially life-threatening. PMID:20814562

Association of Job Stressors With Panic Attack and Panic Disorder in a Working Population in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Asai, Yumi; Imamura, Kotaro; Kawakami, Norito

2017-06-01

This study aimed to investigate associations of job stressors with panic attack (PA) and panic disorder (PD) among Japanese workers. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted of 2060 workers. Job strain, effort/reward imbalance, and workplace social support were measured by the job content questionnaire and effort/reward imbalance questionnaire. These variables were classified into tertiles. PA/PD were measured by self-report based on the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). Multiple logistic regression was conducted, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and health-related covariates. Data from 1965 participants were analyzed. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) of PA/PD was significantly greater for the group with high effort/reward imbalance compared with the group with low effort/reward imbalance (ORs, 2.64 and 2.94, respectively, both P < 0.05). This study found effort/reward imbalance was associated with having PA/PD among Japanese workers.

Chest pain, panic disorder and coronary artery disease: a systematic review.

PubMed

Soares-Filho, Gastão L F; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Santulli, Gaetano; Silva, Adriana C; Machado, Sergio; Valenca, Alexandre M; Nardi, Antonio E

2014-01-01

Chest pain may be due benign diseases but often suggests an association with coronary artery disease, which justifies a quick search for medical care. However, some people have anxiety disorder with symptoms that resemble clearly an acute coronary syndrome. More specifically, during a panic attack an abrupt feeling of fear accompanied by symptoms such as breathlessness, palpitations and chest pain, makes patients believe they have a heart attack and confuse physicians about the diagnosis. The association between panic disorder and coronary artery disease has been extensively studied in recent years and, although some studies have shown anxiety disorders coexisting or increasing the risk of heart disease, one causal hypothesis is still missing. The aim of this systematic review is to present the various ways in which the scientific community has been investigating the relation between chest pain, panic disorder and coronary artery disease.

Effects of alprazolam and cannabinoid-related compounds in an animal model of panic attack.

PubMed

Batista, Luara A; Haibara, Andrea S; Schenberg, Luiz C; Moreira, Fabricio A

2017-01-15

Selective stimulation of carotid chemoreceptors by intravenous infusion of low doses of potassium cyanide (KCN) produces short-lasting escape responses that have been proposed as a model of panic attack. In turn, preclinical studies suggest that facilitation of the endocannabinoid system attenuate panic-like responses. Here, we compared the effects of cannabinoid-related compounds to those of alprazolam, a clinically effective panicolytic, on the duration of the escape reaction induced by intravenous infusion of KCN (80μg) in rats. Alprazolam (1, 2, 4mg/kg) decreased escape duration at doses that did not alter basal locomotor activity. URB597 (0.1, 0.3, 1mg/kg; inhibitor of anandamide hydrolysis), WIN55,212-2 (0.1, 0.3, 1mg/kg; synthetic cannabinoid), arachidonoyl-serotonin (1, 2.5, 5mg/kg; dual TRPV1 and anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor), and cannabidiol (5, 10, 20, 40mg/kg; a phytocannabinoid) did not decrease escape duration. Alprazolam also prevented the increase in arterial pressure evoked by KCN, while bradycardia was unchanged. This study reinforces the validity of the KCN-evoked escape as a model of panic attack. However, it does not support a role for the endocannabinoid system in this behavioral response. These results might have implications for the screening of novel treatments for panic disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Associations of plasma leptin to clinical manifestations in reproductive aged female patients with panic disorder.

PubMed

Masdrakis, Vasilios G; Papageorgiou, Charalambos; Markianos, Manolis

2017-09-01

Preclinical studies suggest the implication of the adipocyte hormone leptin in anxiety and fear processes. We explored for potential differences regarding plasma leptin, cortisol and the ratio leptin/Body Mass Index (BMI) between 27 medication-free female patients with Panic Disorder (PD) and 42 age-matched female controls, and for potential associations between plasma leptin and psychometric evaluations including number of panic attacks during last week, Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) and Symptoms Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Cortisol levels showed no differences between patients and controls, or correlations to leptin or to any clinical features. Both groups demonstrated a strong positive correlation between leptin and BMI and similar leptin and leptin/BMI, despite patients' lower BMI. However, patients -but not controls- demonstrated significant negative correlations of leptin to the 'somatization', 'anxiety', and 'phobic anxiety' SCL-90-R subscales. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation of leptin and of leptin/BMI ratio to the number of panic attacks during last week, while higher CGI-S was associated with lower leptin/BMI ratio. Our results, limited to PD female patients, suggest that lower leptin serum levels are significantly associated with greater severity of psychopathological manifestations, including number of panic attacks, symptoms of somatization, anxiety and phobic anxiety and overall clinical presentation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kyol Goeu (‘Wind Overload’) Part I: A Cultural Syndrome of Orthostatic Panic among Khmer Refugees

PubMed Central

Hinton, Devon; Um, Khin; Ba, Phalnarith

2009-01-01

Certain cultural syndromes seem to increase the risk of panic attacks by generating catastrophic cognitions about symptoms of autonomic arousal. These schemas create a constant anxious scanning of the body, hence facilitating, maintaining, and producing panic. As a case in point, a Khmer fainting syndrome,‘wind overload’ (kyol goeu), results in dire expectations concerning the autonomic symptoms experienced upon standing, thus contributing to the high rate of orthostatically induced panic observed in this population. PMID:20852723

Alprazolam

MedlinePlus

Alprazolam is used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorder (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks). Alprazolam is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It ...

Response to Nadler's Commentary on Arch and Craske's (2011) "Addressing Relapse in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder: Methods for Optimizing Long-Term Treatment Outcomes"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arch, Joanna J.; Craske, Michelle G.

2012-01-01

Nadler (this issue), in his commentary of our article, "Addressing Relapse in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder: Methods for Optimizing Long-Term Treatment Outcomes" (Arch & Craske, 2011), argues that we misrepresent the role of panic attacks within learning theory and overlook cognitive treatment targets. He presents several case…

Panic disorder respiratory subtype: psychopathology, laboratory challenge tests, and response to treatment.

PubMed

Freire, Rafael C; Perna, Giampaolo; Nardi, Antonio E

2010-01-01

Our objective is to summarize the new findings concerning the respiratory subtype (RS) of panic disorder (PD) since its first description. Two searches were made in the Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science: with the keywords "panic disorder" and "respiratory symptoms," and all articles that cited Briggs and colleagues' 1993 article "Subtyping of Panic Disorder by Symptom Profile" (Br J Psychiatry 1993;163:201-9). Altogether, 133 articles were reviewed. We describe and discuss RS epidemiology, genetics, psychopathology, demographic features, clinical features, correlations with the respiratory system, traumatic suffocation history, provocative tests, and nocturnal panic. Compared to patients with the nonrespiratory subtype (non-RS), the RS patients had higher familial history of PD, lower comorbidity with depression, longer duration of illness, lower neuroticism scores, and higher scores in severity scales, such as the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, Panic-Agoraphobia Spectrum scale and the Clinical Global Impression scale. Tests to induce panic attacks, such as those with CO(2), hyperventilation, and caffeine, produce panic attacks in a higher proportion of RS patients than non-RS patients. Differences in the subtypes' improvement with the pharmacologic treatment were found. There are also some controversial findings regarding the RS, including the age of onset of PD, and alcohol and tobacco use in RS patients. Some characteristics, such as the increased sensitivity to CO(2) and the higher familial history of PD, clearly distinguish the RS from the non-RS. Nevertheless, there are also controversial findings. More studies are needed to determine the validity of the RS subtype.

Studying Anxiety Disorders | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Panic Disorder : unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear, accompanied ... dizziness, or abdominal distress. Phobias often result in panic attacks. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) : chronic anxiety that can develop after exposure ...

Examining the Panic Attack Specifier in Social Anxiety Disorder.

PubMed

Allan, Nicholas P; Oglesby, Mary E; Short, Nicole A; Schmidt, Norman B

2016-04-01

Panic attacks (PAs) are characterized by overwhelming surges of fear and discomfort and are one of the most frequently occurring symptoms in psychiatric populations. The most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (i.e. DSM-5) allows for a panic attack (PA) specifier for all disorders, including social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, there is little research examining differences between individuals diagnosed with SAD with the PA specifier versus individuals diagnosed with SAD without the PA specifier. The current study examined social anxiety, mood, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity social concerns, a risk factor for social anxiety in SAD-diagnosed individuals without (N = 52) and with (N = 14) the PA specifier. The groups differed only in somatic symptoms of anxiety. Result of the current study provides preliminary evidence that the presence of the PA specifier in social anxiety does not result in elevated levels of comorbidity or a more severe presentation of social anxiety.

The phenomenology of the first panic attack in clinical and community-based samples.

PubMed

Pané-Farré, Christiane A; Stender, Jan P; Fenske, Kristin; Deckert, Jürgen; Reif, Andreas; John, Ulrich; Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Schulz, Andrea; Lang, Thomas; Alpers, Georg W; Kircher, Tilo; Vossbeck-Elsebusch, Anna N; Grabe, Hans J; Hamm, Alfons O

2014-08-01

The purpose of the study was to contrast first panic attacks (PAs) of patients with panic disorder (PD) with vs. without agoraphobia and to explore differences between first PAs leading to the development of PD and those that remain isolated. Data were drawn from a community survey (N=2259 including 88 isolated PAs and 75 PD cases). An additional sample of 234 PD patients was recruited in a clinical setting. A standardized interview assessed the symptoms of the first PA, context of its occurrence and subsequent coping attempts. Persons who developed PD reported more severe first PAs, more medical service utilization and exposure-limiting coping attempts than those with isolated PAs. The context of the first PA did not differ between PD and isolated PAs. PD with agoraphobia was specifically associated with greater symptom severity and occurrence of first attacks in public. Future research should validate these findings using a longitudinal approach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of menstrual cycle phase and anxiety sensitivity in catastrophic misinterpretation of physical symptoms during a CO(2) challenge.

PubMed

Nillni, Yael I; Rohan, Kelly J; Zvolensky, Michael J

2012-12-01

The current study examined the interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of anxiety and anxiety-related sensations) and menstrual cycle phase (premenstrual phase vs. follicular phase) on panic-relevant responding (i.e., cognitive and physical panic symptoms, subjective anxiety, and skin conductance level). Women completed a baseline session and underwent a 3-min 10 % CO(2)-enriched air biological challenge paradigm during her premenstrual and follicular menstrual cycle phases. Participants were 55 women with no current or past history of panic disorder recruited from the general community (M (age) = 26.18, SD = 8.9) who completed the biological challenge during both the premenstrual and follicular cycle phases. Results revealed that women higher on AS demonstrated increased cognitive panic symptoms in response to the challenge during the premenstrual phase as compared to the follicular phase, and as compared to women lower on AS assessed in either cycle phase. However, the interaction of AS and menstrual cycle phase did not significantly predict physical panic attack symptoms, subjective ratings of anxiety, or skin conductance level in response to the challenge. Results are discussed in the context of premenstrual exacerbations of cognitive, as opposed to physical, panic attack symptoms for high AS women, and the clinical implications of these findings.

Baseline heartbeat perception accuracy and short-term outcome of brief cognitive-behaviour therapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Masdrakis, Vasilios G; Legaki, Emilia-Maria; Vaidakis, Nikolaos; Ploumpidis, Dimitrios; Soldatos, Constantin R; Papageorgiou, Charalambos; Papadimitriou, George N; Oulis, Panagiotis

2015-07-01

Increased heartbeat perception accuracy (HBP-accuracy) may contribute to the pathogenesis of Panic Disorder (PD) without or with Agoraphobia (PDA). Extant research suggests that HBP-accuracy is a rather stable individual characteristic, moreover predictive of worse long-term outcome in PD/PDA patients. However, it remains still unexplored whether HBP-accuracy adversely affects patients' short-term outcome after structured cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for PD/PDA. To explore the potential association between HBP-accuracy and the short-term outcome of a structured brief-CBT for the acute treatment of PDA. We assessed baseline HBP-accuracy using the "mental tracking" paradigm in 25 consecutive medication-free, CBT-naive PDA patients. Patients then underwent a structured, protocol-based, 8-session CBT by the same therapist. Outcome measures included the number of panic attacks during the past week, the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), and the Mobility Inventory-Alone subscale (MI-alone). No association emerged between baseline HBP-accuracy and posttreatment changes concerning number of panic attacks. Moreover, higher baseline HBP-accuracy was associated with significantly larger reductions in the scores of the ACQ and the MI-alone scales. Our results suggest that in PDA patients undergoing structured brief-CBT for the acute treatment of their symptoms, higher baseline HBP-accuracy is not associated with worse short-term outcome concerning panic attacks. Furthermore, higher baseline HBP-accuracy may be associated with enhanced therapeutic gains in agoraphobic cognitions and behaviours.

Experimental panic provocation in healthy man—a translational role in anti-panic drug development?

PubMed Central

Kellner, Michael

2011-01-01

Experimental neurochemical provocation of panic attacks in susceptible human subjects has considerably expanded our knowledge of the pathophysiology and psychopharmacology of panic disorder. Some panicogens also elicit short-lived panic-like states in healthy man. This offers the opportunity to assess the anti-panic action of drugs in proof-of-concept studies. However, from current data it is still unclear whether experimental panic in healthy man is a valid translational model. Most such studies in healthy volunteers have been performed using a cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4) challenge. While CCK-4 panic was blocked by alprazolam pretreatment, escitalopram showed negative results in healthy man. Preliminary findings on novel investigational drugs and a few problematic results will be reviewed. Small sample sizes in many panic provocation studies, lack of dose-response aspects, and still-insufficient knowledge about the biological underpinning of experimental and spontaneous panic limit the interpretation of existing findings and should inspire further research. PMID:22275853

Test of the role of nicotine dependence in the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder and panic spectrum problems.

PubMed

Feldner, Matthew T; Smith, Rose C; Babson, Kimberly A; Sachs-Ericsson, Natalie; Schmidt, Norman B; Zvolensky, Michael J

2009-02-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with panic spectrum problems. Relatively little empirical work has tested possible mechanisms accounting for this association. Nicotine dependence often ensues subsequent to PTSD onset and research suggests smoking high numbers of cigarettes daily may lead to panic problems. The current study tested the hypotheses that nicotine dependence partially mediates the relations between PTSD and both panic attacks and panic disorder within a nationally representative sample of 5,692 (3,020 women; M(Age) = 45, SD = 18) adults from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication. Results were consistent with hypotheses. These findings support the theory suggesting smoking among people with PTSD may be involved in the development of panic problems.

Temporal stability and coherence of anxiety, dyspnea, and physiological variables in panic disorder

PubMed Central

Burkhardt, Susan C. A.; Wilhelm, Frank H.; Meuret, Alicia E.; Blechert, Jens; Roth, Walton T.

2010-01-01

Twenty-five panic disorder (PD) patients, 19 social phobics (SP), and 20 healthy controls (HC) sat quietly for 15 minutes, rating their anxiety and dyspnea every 30 seconds while respiratory, cardiovascular, and electrodermal responses were recorded. No panic attacks were reported. For self-reported anxiety and dyspnea, within-subject variability over time was higher in PD than in SP or HC. In PD within-subject correlations across 30-second epochs were significant for (a) self-reported anxiety versus dyspnea, end-tidal pCO2, minute volume, duty cycle, skin conductance level, and interbeat interval, and for (b) dyspnea versus end-tidal pCO2, minute volume, tidal volume, and inspiratory flow rate. Several positive or negative correlations were greater in PD than in other groups. Thus in PD, experienced anxiety and dyspnea are temporally unstable but are correlated with each other and with fluctuations in respiratory and autonomic variables, even in the absence of panic attacks. PMID:20637257

Induced abortion and anxiety, mood, and substance abuse disorders: isolating the effects of abortion in the national comorbidity survey.

PubMed

Coleman, Priscilla K; Coyle, Catherine T; Shuping, Martha; Rue, Vincent M

2009-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between abortion history and a wide range of anxiety (panic disorder, panic attacks, PTSD, Agoraphobia), mood (bipolar disorder, mania, major depression), and substance abuse disorders (alcohol and drug abuse and dependence) using a nationally representative US sample, the national comorbidity survey. Abortion was found to be related to an increased risk for a variety of mental health problems (panic attacks, panic disorder, agoraphobia, PTSD, bipolar disorder, major depression with and without hierarchy), and substance abuse disorders after statistical controls were instituted for a wide range of personal, situational, and demographic variables. Calculation of population attributable risks indicated that abortion was implicated in between 4.3% and 16.6% of the incidence of these disorders. Future research is needed to identify mediating mechanisms linking abortion to various disorders and to understand individual difference factors associated with vulnerability to developing a particular mental health problem after abortion.

Panic Attack or Heart Attack?

MedlinePlus

... disease affects your heart's muscle, blood vessels, and electrical system and is the leading cause of death ... An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) measures your heart's electrical activity by placing small electrodes on your chest, ...

Psychological sequelae of remote exposure to the September 11th terrorist attacks in Canadians with and without panic.

PubMed

Asmundson, Gordon J G; Carleton, R Nicholas; Wright, Kristi D; Taylor, Steven

2004-01-01

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the psychological impact of remote exposure to the events and aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11th, 2001, and to assess what differences, if any, exist between individuals classified with probable panic disorder and those without. Telephone interviews were conducted with 122 residents of the capital city of the Canadian prairie province of Saskatchewan in spring 2002 in order to gather information regarding current mood, fears and avoidance behaviours as well as current post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms specific to September 11th. Consistent with previous findings and despite the remote nature of exposure, results indicated that the psychological well-being and behaviour of participants with probable panic disorder was more adversely affected by the events and aftermath of September 11th than those without panic disorder. These results suggest that remote viewing of traumatic events can have a significant and lingering impact on psychological well-being and behaviour and that these effects are more pronounced in those with panic disorder. Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Panic and fear induced by deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Shapira, N A; Okun, M S; Wint, D; Foote, K D; Byars, J A; Bowers, D; Springer, U S; Lang, P J; Greenberg, B D; Haber, S N; Goodman, W K

2006-03-01

Mood, cognitive, and behavioural changes have been reported with deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the thalamus, globus pallidus interna, and anterior limb of the internal capsule/nucleus accumbens region. To investigate panic and fear resulting from DBS. Intraoperative DBS in the region of the right and then left anterior limb of the internal capsule and nucleus accumbens region was undertaken to treat a 52 year old man with treatment refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Mood, anxiety, OCD, alertness, heart rate, and subjective feelings were recorded during intraoperative test stimulation and at follow up programming sessions. DBS at the distal (0) contact (cathode 0-, anode 2+, pulse width 210 ms, rate 135 Hz, at 6 volts) elicited a panic attack (only seen at the (0) contact). The patient felt flushed, hot, fearful, and described himself as having a "panic attack." His heart rate increased from 53 to 111. The effect (present with either device) was witnessed immediately after turning the device on, and abruptly ceased in the off condition DBS of the anterior limb of the internal capsule and nucleus accumbens region caused severe "panic." This response may result from activation of limbic and autonomic networks.

The effect of Korean-group cognitive behavioural therapy among patients with panic disorder in clinic settings.

PubMed

Choi, Y S; Lee, E J; Cho, Y

2017-02-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Panic disorder patients display various panic-related physical symptoms and catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, which lower their quality of life by interfering with daily activities. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a useful strategy for panic disorder patients to manage symptoms associated with inaccurate cognitive interpretation of situations resulting from the patient's cognitive vulnerability. In South Korea, however, despite the increasing prevalence of panic disorder, CBT is not a common element of nursing care plans for panic disorder patients. Moreover, few Korean researchers have attempted to assess the effects of CBT on such patients. WHAT THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: In a strategy combining CBT and routine treatments, patients with panic disorder can experience greater positive effects in the acute treatment phase than those they experience when receiving only routine treatment. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental health professionals, especially psychiatric nurses in local clinics who operate most special mental health programmes for panic disorder patients, should apply a panic disorder management programme that integrates CBT and routine treatments. The integrated approach is more effective for reducing the number of panic attacks and cognitive misinterpretation in patients than providing routine treatment alone. For patients with panic disorder, the objective of CBT is to understand the relationship between psychological panic disorder sensations, emotions, thoughts and behaviours. Therefore, nurses can help patients address and improve biological, social and psychological aspects of physical health problems as well as help them improve their coping skills in general. Introduction In panic disorder, sensitivity to bodily sensations increases due to the patient's cognitive vulnerability. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help to decrease sensitivity to bodily sensations by correcting these cognitive distortions by controlling negative thoughts and panic attacks. Aims This study verified whether group CBT is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) in South Korean patients with panic disorder. Methods The study participants consisted of 76 panic disorder patients. Patients in the therapy condition attended sessions once a week for a total of 12 sessions in addition to drug treatment. Results In the therapy condition, there were significant decreases in panic-related bodily sensations and ranking and belief scores for catastrophic misinterpretation of external events. Discussion Group CBT, in comparison to TAU, decreases panic and agoraphobia symptom severity in South Korean patients with panic disorder. Our study provides evidence for the effectiveness of a panic disorder management programme that integrates group CBT and traditional pharmacotherapeutic treatment for patients with panic disorder. Implications for Practice The cognitive behavioural approach is needed to reduce panic and agoraphobia symptoms for hospitalized patients with panic disorder more than activity therapies, medications and supportive counselling by doctors and nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Olfactory bulb and olfactory sulcus depths are associated with disease duration and attack frequency in multiple sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Tanik, Nermin; Serin, Halil Ibrahim; Celikbilek, Asuman; Inan, Levent Ertugrul; Gundogdu, Fatma

2015-11-15

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that progresses to axonal loss and demyelinization. Olfactory dysfunction in patients with MS has been reported frequently. We were interested in the associations of olfactory bulb (OB) and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) with disease duration and attack frequency. We included 25 patients with MS and 30 age- and sex-matched controls in this study. The Expanded Disability Status Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Mini Mental State Examination were applied. OB, OSD, and magnetic resonance imaging plaque numbers were calculated. OB volume and OSD in patients with MS were significantly lower than those in the control group (right and left OB: p<0.001; right OSD: p=0.001; and left OSD: p=0.039). Disease duration was negatively correlated with right and left OB volume (right OB: r=-0.434, p=0.030 and left OB: r=-0.518, p=0.008). Attack frequency was negatively correlated with left OB volume and left OSD (left OB: r=-0.428, p=0.033 and left OSD: r=-0.431, p=0.032). The OB and OSD were atrophied significantly in patients with MS, and this was correlated with disease duration and attack frequency. The left side tended to be dominant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are Current Theories of Panic Falsifiable?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Walton T.; Wilhelm, Frank H.; Pettit, Dean

2005-01-01

The authors examine 6 theories of panic attacks as to whether empirical approaches are capable of falsifying them and their heuristic value. The authors conclude that the catastrophic cognitions theory is least falsifiable because of the elusive nature of thoughts but that it has greatly stimulated research and therapy. The vicious circle theory…

Effect of Zuogui Pill () on monoamine neurotransmitters and sex hormones in climacteric rats with panic attack.

PubMed

Li, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Xiao-Yun

2017-03-01

To explore the effects of Chinese medicine prescription Zuogui Pill (, ZGP) on monoamine neurotransmitters and sex hormones in climacteric rats with induced panic attacks. Forty-eight climacteric female rats were randomized into 6 groups with 8 rats in each group: the control group, the model group, the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups and the alprazolam group. Rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups were administered 4.725, 9.45, or 18.9 g/kg ZGP by gastric perfusion, respectively. The alprazolam group was treated by gastric perfusion with 0.036 mg/kg alprazolam. The control and model groups were treated with distilled water. The animals were pretreated once daily for 8 consecutive weeks. The behaviors of rats in the open fifield test and the elevated T-maze (ETM) were observed after induced panic attack, and the levels of brain monoamine neurotransmitters and the plasma levels of sex hormones were measured. Compared with the control group, the mean ETM escape time and the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenalin (NE) of the model group were signifificantly reduced (P<0.05), Compared with the model group, the mean ETM escape time and the 5-HT and NE levels of all the ZGP groups increased signifificantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, no signifificant difference was observed in the levels of sex hormones between the groups. Pretreatment with ZGP in climacteric rats may improve the behavior of panic attack, which may be related to increased 5-HT and NE in the brain.

Bowel and bladder-control anxiety: a preliminary description of a viscerally-centred phobic syndrome.

PubMed

Kamboj, Sunjeev K; Langhoff, Christine; Pajak, Rosanna; Zhu, Alex; Chevalier, Agnes; Watson, Sue

2015-03-01

People with anxiety disorders occasionally report fears about losing control of basic bodily functions in public. These anxieties often occur in the absence of physical disorder and have previously been recognized as "obsessive" anxieties reflecting a preoccupation with loss of bowel/bladder control. Motivated by our observations of the non-trivial occurrence of such anxieties in our clinical practice we sought to fill a gap in the current understanding of "bowel/bladder-control anxieties". Eligible participants completed an internet survey. Bowel/bladder-control anxieties (n = 140) tended to emerge in the mid to late 20s and were associated with high levels of avoidance and functional impairment. There was a high prevalence of panic attacks (78%); these were especially prevalent among those with bowel-control anxiety. Of those with panic attacks, 62% indicated that their main concern was being incontinent during a panic attack. Significantly, a proportion of respondents (~16%) reported actually being incontinent during a panic attack. Seventy percent of participants reported intrusive imagery related to loss of bowel/bladder control. Intrusion-related distress was correlated with agoraphobic avoidance and general role impairment. Some differences were noted between those with predominantly bowel-, predominantly bladder- and those with both bowel and bladder-control anxieties. This preliminary characterization indicates that even in a non-treatment seeking community sample, bowel/bladder-control anxieties are associated with high levels of distress and impairment. Further careful characterization of these anxieties will clarify their phenomenology and help us develop or modify treatment protocols in a way that takes account of any special characteristics of such viscerally-centred phobic syndromes.

Panic disorder with agoraphobia from a behavioral neuroscience perspective: Applying the research principles formulated by the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative.

PubMed

Hamm, Alfons O; Richter, Jan; Pané-Farré, Christiane; Westphal, Dorte; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Vossbeck-Elsebusch, Anna N; Gerlach, Alexander L; Gloster, Andrew T; Ströhle, Andreas; Lang, Thomas; Kircher, Tilo; Gerdes, Antje B M; Alpers, Georg W; Reif, Andreas; Deckert, Jürgen

2016-03-01

In the current review, we reconceptualize a categorical diagnosis-panic disorder and agoraphobia-in terms of two constructs within the domain "negative valence systems" suggested by the Research Domain Criteria initiative. Panic attacks are considered as abrupt and intense fear responses to acute threat arising from inside the body, while anxious apprehension refers to anxiety responses to potential harm and more distant or uncertain threat. Taking a dimensional view, panic disorder with agoraphobia is defined with the threat-imminence model stating that defensive responses are dynamically organized along the dimension of the proximity of the threat. We tested this model within a large group of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia (N = 369 and N = 124 in a replication sample) and found evidence that panic attacks are indeed instances of circa strike defense. This component of the defensive reactivity was related to genetic modulators within the serotonergic system. In contrast, anxious apprehension-characterized by attentive freezing during postencounter defense-was related to general distress and depressive mood, as well as to genetic modulations within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Patients with a strong behavioral tendency for active and passive avoidance responded better to exposure treatment if the therapist guides the patient through the exposure exercises. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

An open-label, flexible dose adaptive study evaluating the efficacy of vortioxetine in subjects with panic disorder.

PubMed

Shah, Anish; Northcutt, Joanne

2018-01-01

Despite the current treatments available for panic disorder (PD), as many as one-third of patients have persistent and treatment-resistant panic attacks. Vortioxetine is an approved medicine for major depressive disorder and has been shown to have anxiolytic properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its efficacy and safety in an adult population with a diagnosis of PD. The study design was open label with flexible dose strategies (5, 10, or 20 mg) with a treatment period of 10 weeks. 27 male and female subjects aged between 18 and 60 years, who met DSM-IV criteria for PD with or without agoraphobia, or who had a Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) score > 8 at baseline were enrolled. Statistical significance was established by the Student's T test. A statistically significant decrease in the occurrence of panic attacks was measured with the PDSS with vortioxetine. In addition, a moderate improvement in the quality of life and no significant side effects were observed using the Quality-of-Life Scale and Monitoring of Side Effects Scale, respectively. These results provide some support for the use of vortioxetine in the management of panic disorder. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID#: NCT02395510. Registered March 23, 2015, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02395510.

"But it might be a heart attack": intolerance of uncertainty and panic disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Carleton, R Nicholas; Duranceau, Sophie; Freeston, Mark H; Boelen, Paul A; McCabe, Randi E; Antony, Martin M

2014-06-01

Panic disorder models describe interactions between feared anxiety-related physical sensations (i.e., anxiety sensitivity; AS) and catastrophic interpretations therein. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been implicated as necessary for catastrophic interpretations in community samples. The current study examined relationships between IU, AS, and panic disorder symptoms in a clinical sample. Participants had a principal diagnosis of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia (n=132; 66% women). IU was expected to account for significant variance in panic symptoms controlling for AS. AS was expected to mediate the relationship between IU and panic symptoms, whereas IU was expected to moderate the relationship between AS and panic symptoms. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that IU accounted for significant unique variance in panic symptoms relative to AS, with comparable part correlations. Mediation and moderation models were also tested and suggested direct and indirect effects of IU on panic symptoms through AS; however, an interaction effect was not supported. The current cross-sectional evidence supports a role for IU in panic symptoms, independent of AS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the verge of a respiratory-type panic attack: Selective activations of rostrolateral and caudoventrolateral periaqueductal gray matter following short-lasting escape to a low dose of potassium cyanide.

PubMed

Müller, Cláudia Janaina Torres; Quintino-Dos-Santos, Jeyce Willig; Schimitel, Fagna Giacomin; Tufik, Sérgio; Beijamini, Vanessa; Canteras, Newton Sabino; Schenberg, Luiz Carlos

2017-04-21

Intravenous injections of potassium cyanide (KCN) both elicit escape by its own and facilitate escape to electrical stimulation of the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG). Moreover, whereas the KCN-evoked escape is potentiated by CO 2 , it is suppressed by both lesions of PAG and clinically effective treatments with panicolytics. These and other data suggest that the PAG harbors a hypoxia-sensitive alarm system the activation of which could both precipitate panic and render the subject hypersensitive to CO 2 . Although prior c-Fos immunohistochemistry studies reported widespread activations of PAG following KCN injections, the employment of repeated injections of high doses of KCN (>60µg) in anesthetized rats compromised both the localization of KCN-responsive areas and their correlation with escape behavior. Accordingly, here we compared the brainstem activations of saline-injected controls (air/saline) with those produced by a single intravenous injection of 40-µg KCN (air/KCN), a 2-min exposure to 13% CO 2 (CO 2 /saline), or a combined stimulus (CO 2 /KCN). Behavioral effects of KCN microinjections into the PAG were assessed as well. Data showed that whereas the KCN microinjections were ineffective, KCN intravenous injections elicited escape in all tested rats. Moreover, whereas the CO 2 alone was ineffective, it potentiated the KCN-evoked escape. Compared to controls, the nucleus tractus solitarius was significantly activated in both CO 2 /saline and CO 2 /KCN groups. Additionally, whereas the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus was activated by all treatments, the rostrolateral and caudoventrolateral PAG were activated by air/KCN only. Data suggest that the latter structures are key components of a hypoxia-sensitive suffocation alarm which activation may trigger a panic attack. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In a rat model of panic, corticotropin responses to dorsal periaqueductal gray stimulation depend on physical exertion.

PubMed

de Souza Armini, Rubia; Bernabé, Cristian Setúbal; Rosa, Caroline Azevedo; Siller, Carlos Antônio; Schimitel, Fagna Giacomin; Tufik, Sérgio; Klein, Donald Franklin; Schenberg, Luiz Carlos

2015-03-01

Panic disorder patients are exquisitely and specifically sensitive to hypercapnia. The demonstration that carbon dioxide provokes panic in fear-unresponsive amygdala-calcified Urbach-Wiethe patients emphasizes that panic is not fear nor does it require the activation of the amygdala. This is consonant with increasing evidence suggesting that panic is mediated caudally at midbrain's dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG). Another startling feature of the apparently spontaneous clinical panic is the counterintuitive lack of increments in corticotropin, cortisol and prolactin, generally considered 'stress hormones'. Here we show that the stress hormones are not changed during DPAG-evoked panic when escape is prevented by stimulating the rat in a small compartment. Neither did the corticotropin increase when physical exertion was statistically adjusted to the same degree as non-stimulated controls, as measured by lactate plasma levels. Conversely, neuroendocrine responses to foot-shocks were independent from muscular effort. Data are consonant with DPAG mediation of panic attacks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fear of Fear and the Anxiety Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambless, Dianne L.

The fear of fear present in agoraphobics can be broken down into a fear of the body sensations associated with the panic attacks that plague agoraphobics and maladaptive thoughts about the possible consequences of panic. In a retrospective examination of clinical files, 32 agoraphobic patients were compared to 36 patients with simple social…

Symptoms: Personal snapshots of anxiety disorders | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... illustrate the often paralyzing effects of these conditions: Panic Disorder: "For me, a panic attack is almost a violent experience. I feel disconnected from reality. I feel like I'm losing control in a very extreme way. My ... Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: "I was raped when I was 25 years ...

Usage and Longitudinal Effectiveness of a Web-Based Self-Help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Panic Disorder

PubMed Central

Denisoff, Eilenna; Selby, Peter; Bagby, R Michael; Rudy, Laura

2005-01-01

Background Anxiety disorders are common problems that result in enormous suffering and economic costs. The efficacy of Web-based self-help approaches for anxiety disorders has been demonstrated in a number of controlled trials. However, there is little data regarding the patterns of use and effectiveness of freely available Web-based interventions outside the context of controlled trials. Objective To examine the use and longitudinal effectiveness of a freely available, 12-session, Web-based, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program for panic disorder and agoraphobia. Methods Cumulative anonymous data were analyzed from 99695 users of the Panic Center. Usage statistics for the website were examined and a longitudinal survey of self-reported symptoms for people who registered for the CBT program was conducted. The primary outcome measures were self-reported panic-attack frequency and severity at the beginning of each session (sessions 2-12). Results Between September 1, 2002 and February 1, 2004, there were 484695 visits and 1148097 page views from 99695 users to the Panic Center. In that same time period, 1161 users registered for the CBT program. There was an extremely high attrition rate with only 12 (1.03%) out of 1161 of registered users completing the 12-week program. However, even for those who remained in the program less than 12 weeks we found statistically significant reductions (P<.002) in self-reported panic attack frequency and severity, comparing 2 weeks of data against data after 3, 6, or 8 weeks. For example, the 152 users completing only 3 sessions of the program reduced their average number of attacks per day from 1.03 (week 2) to 0.63 (week 3) (P<.001). Conclusions Freely available Web-based self-help will likely be associated with high attrition. However, for the highly self-selected group who stayed in the program, significant improvements were observed. PMID:15829479

Terrorism and dispelling the myth of a panic prone public.

PubMed

Sheppard, Ben; Rubin, G James; Wardman, Jamie K; Wessely, Simon

2006-01-01

Governments and commentators perceive the public to be prone to panic in response to terrorist attacks--conventional or involving chemical, biological or radiological weapons. Evidence from five such incidents suggests that the public is not prone to panic, although people can change their behaviours and attitudes to reduce the risk of themselves being exposed to a terrorist incident. Behavioural responses may be divided into acts of omission, such as not making unnecessary journeys, and acts of commission, such as taking prophylactic medication despite the inherent risk of side effects. Evidence suggests that the public are aware of these differences, and tend to adopt responses proportionate to the risk. Drawing upon the literature in the social and natural sciences, our discussion encompasses differing risk perceptions of terrorist threats and consequences of attacks. How do fear and anxiety interact with behavioural responses to amplify or attenuate perceptions that can be modified through risk communication undertaken by authorities?

Personality disorder traits as predictors of subsequent first-onset panic disorder or agoraphobia

PubMed Central

Bienvenu, O. Joseph; Stein, Murray B.; Samuels, Jack F.; Onyike, Chiadi U.; Eaton, William W.; Nestadt, Gerald

2009-01-01

Determining how personality disorder traits and panic disorder and/or agoraphobia relate longitudinally is an important step in developing a comprehensive understanding of the etiology of panic/agoraphobia. In 1981, a probabilistic sample of adult (≥ 18 years old) residents of east Baltimore were assessed for Axis I symptoms and disorders using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS); psychiatrists re-evaluated a sub-sample of these participants and made Axis I diagnoses, as well as ratings of individual DSM-III personality disorder traits. Of the participants psychiatrists examined in 1981, 432 were assessed again in 1993–1996 using the DIS. Excluding participants who had baseline panic attacks or panic-like spells from the risk groups, baseline timidity (avoidant, dependent, and related traits) predicted first-onset DIS panic disorder or agoraphobia over the follow-up period. These results suggest that avoidant and dependent personality traits are predisposing factors, or at least markers of risk, for panic disorder and agoraphobia - not simply epiphenomena. PMID:19374963

A possible association between panic disorder and a polymorphism in the preproghrelingene.

PubMed

Hansson, Caroline; Annerbrink, Kristina; Nilsson, Staffan; Bah, Jessica; Olsson, Marie; Allgulander, Christer; Andersch, Sven; Sjödin, Ingemar; Eriksson, Elias; Dickson, Suzanne L

2013-03-30

The aim of the study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in the preproghrelin gene are associated with anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, in humans. Panic disorder is a severe anxiety disorder, characterized by sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety in combination with somatic symptoms. The preproghrelin gene codes for two gut-derived circulating peptides that have been linked to anxiety-like behaviour in rodents: ghrelin (an orexigenic, pro-obesity hormone) and obestatin. In the present study, we genotyped three missense mutations in the preproghrelin gene in 215 patients suffering from panic disorder and in 451 controls. The A allele of the rs4684677 polymorphism was significantly associated with panic disorder, while there were no significant associations with the two other polymorphisms studied. We conclude that the rs4684677 (Gln90Leu) polymorphism in the preproghrelin gene may be associated with increased risk of panic disorder. It will be important to confirm these findings in additional panic disorder patient groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Essential Hypotension and Allostasis Registry

ClinicalTrials.gov

2018-03-30

Blood Pressure; Depression; Panic Attack; Fibromyalgia; POTS; Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia; Coronary Heart Disease; Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS); Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI); Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD); Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA); Atrial Fibrillation; Diabetes Mellitus; Cancer; Systolic Heart Failure; Diastolic Heart Failure; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Syncope; Vasovagal Syncope

Peritraumatic panic attacks and health outcomes two years after psychological trauma: implications for intervention and research.

PubMed

Boscarino, Joseph A; Adams, Richard E

2009-05-15

Several studies have suggested that experiencing a peritraumatic panic attack (PPA) during a traumatic event predicts future mental health status. Some investigators have suggested that this finding has psychotherapeutic significance. We assessed the hypothesis that PPA was not related to longer-term health status after event exposure, once background confounders were controlled. In our study we assessed exposure to the World Trade Center disaster (WTCD) and other negative life events, demographic factors, social support, self-esteem, and panic attack onset in predicting health outcome among 1681 New York City residents 2 years after the attack. Initial bivariate results indicated that a PPA was related to a number of adverse outcomes 2 years after the WTCD, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, poor physical health, anxiety, binge drinking, and mental health treatment seeking. However, when multivariate (MV) models were estimated adjusting for potential confounders, most of these associations were either non-significant or substantially reduced. Contrary to previous predictions, these MV models revealed that recent negative life events and current self-esteem at follow-up were the best predictors of health outcomes, not PPA. Although post-trauma interventions may target individuals who experienced PPA after traumatic exposures, reducing the long-term health consequences following such exposures based on PPA alone may be problematic. Modifications of psychopathology constructs based on the reported correlation between PPA and post-trauma outcomes may be premature.

Cognitive style, alprazolam plasma levels, and treatment response in panic disorder.

PubMed

Uhlenhuth, E H; Starcevic, Vladan; Qualls, Clifford; Antal, Edward J; Matuzas, William; Javaid, Javaid I; Barnhill, Jamie

2008-01-01

This study investigated an anxiety-prone cognitive style (measured by the Anxious Thoughts and Tendencies Questionnaire, AT&T) as a predictor of the acute response to increasing alprazolam plasma levels in panic disorder. Panic disorder patients (n=26) were treated with escalating doses of alprazolam for 4 weeks, then a fixed dose of 1 mg four times a day for 4 weeks. At 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, trough alprazolam plasma levels; clinical, self-report, and performance measures; and vital signs were assessed. Panic attack data were from daily diaries. The repeated response measures were analyzed in relation to alprazolam plasma levels using SAS GENMOD, with patients classified as high or low on the baseline AT&T. Panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety, fear, avoidance, overall agoraphobia, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and clinicians' global ratings improved with increasing alprazolam plasma levels. Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90 Anger-Hostility; Profile of Mood States Vigor, Confusion, and Friendliness; and speed and accuracy of performance worsened. Patients with high AT&T scores were worse throughout the study on situational panics, fear, avoidance, overall agoraphobia, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and Clinical Global Improvement; most Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90 clusters; Profile of Mood States Anxiety, Depression, and Confusion; and Continuous Performance Task omissions. We conclude that in panic disorder: (1) alprazolam has a broad spectrum of clinical activity related to plasma levels in individual patients; (2) sedation, disinhibition, and performance deficits may persist for at least a month after dose escalation ends; (3) marked anxiety-prone cognitions predict more symptoms throughout treatment, but do not modify the response to alprazolam and therefore should not influence the choice of alprazolam as treatment. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Relationship of Isolated Sleep Paralysis and Panic Disorder to Hypertension

PubMed Central

Bell, Carl C.; Hildreth, Carolyn J.; Jenkins, Esther J.; Carter, Cynthia

1988-01-01

An hypothesis is proposed that there exists a subgroup of African-American hypertensive patients whose hypertension could have been prevented by the early detection and treatment of easily recognizable symptoms that signal the initiation of the pathophysiologic processes that lead to essential hypertension. A pilot study of 31 patients with elevated blood pressure revealed that 41.9 percent had isolated sleep paralysis, 35.5 percent had panic attacks, and 9.7 percent had panic disorder. These proposed hyperadrenergic phenomena may be related to the development of hypertension in certain individuals. PMID:3351970

Agoraphobic avoidance predicts emotional distress and increased physical concerns in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Holas, Pawel; Michałowski, Jaroslaw; Gawęda, Łukasz; Domagała-Kulawik, Joanna

2017-07-01

Anxiety and panic attacks are more common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than in the overall population. Individuals with panic attacks often attempt to avoid situations perceived as at risk of eliciting bodily sensations such as dyspnea, which paradoxically may lead to anxiety-related responsivity. Although there is some evidence that COPD individuals restrict their participation in various life activities because they fear that these may trigger breathlessness, little is known about agoraphobic avoidance and its impact on cognitions and emotional distress in this population. It was thus our aim to investigate the degree of agoraphobic avoidance in COPD individuals, its clinical concomitants and consequences. A total of 48 patients with COPD and 48 matched controlled subjects completed measures of anxiety sensitivity, agoraphobic avoidance, anxiety and depression. Objective COPD severity was measured using forced expiratory volume in the first second. Patients showed significant impairment in respiratory functioning and psychological distress. Relative to the control, the COPD group exhibited greater depression, anxiety, physical symptom concerns and avoidance (alone and accompanied), irrespective of whether they were panickers or not. Patients with high avoidance showed more intense physical concerns when compared to those with low avoidance. Importantly, the level of avoidance predicted emotional distress and increased physical concerns in COPD. Physical concerns scores in COPD patients are partially explained by avoidance in this group. The results of the study provide evidence for the importance of evaluating avoidance in COPD patients and implicate targeting this behavior in therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensory specificity and speciation: a potential neuronal pathway for host fruit odour discrimination in Rhagoletis pomonella

PubMed Central

Batra, Srishti; Ramaswamy, Sree Subha; Feder, Jeffrey L.

2016-01-01

Behavioural changes in habitat or mate choice can trigger population divergence, leading to speciation. However, little is known about the neurological bases for such changes. Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a model for ecological speciation via host plant shifts. Within the past 180 years, Rhagoletis flies infesting hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) shifted to attack domesticated apple (Malus pumila). The two populations differ in their olfactory preferences for apple versus hawthorn fruit. Here, we looked for patterns of sensory organization that may have contributed to this shift by characterizing the morphology, specificity and distribution of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) on the antennae of Rhagoletis responding to host fruit and non-host volatiles. Of 28 OSN classes identified, two colocalized OSN pairs were found that specifically responded to the major behavioural attractant and antagonist volatiles for each fly population. A reversal in the response of these OSNs to fruit volatiles, either through a switch in receptor expression between these paired neurons or changes in neuronal projections in the brain, could therefore account for the behavioural difference between apple and hawthorn flies. The finding supports the hypothesis that relatively minor changes in olfactory sensory pathways may contribute to rapid host shifting and divergence in Rhagoletis. PMID:28003447

Missense mutation of the cholecystokinin B receptor gene: Lack of association with panic disorder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kato, Tadafumi; Wang, Zhe Wu; Crowe, R.R.

1996-07-26

Cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK{sub 4}) is known to induce panic attacks in patients with panic disorder at a lower dose than in normal controls. Therefore, the cholecystokinin B (CCK{sub B}) receptor gene is a candidate gene for panic disorder. We searched for mutations in the CCK{sub B} gene in 22 probands of panic disorder pedigrees, using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Two polymorphisms were detected. A polymorphism in an intron (2491 C{yields}A) between exons 4 and 5 was observed in 10 of 22 probands. A missense mutation in the extracellular loop of exon 2 (1550 G{yields}A, Val{sup 125}{yields}Ile) was found inmore » only one proband. This mutation was also examined in additional 34 unrelated patients with panic disorder and 112 controls. The prevalence rate of this mutation was 8.8% in patients with panic disorder (3/34) and 4.4% in controls (5/112). The mutation did not segregate with panic disorder in two families where this could be tested. These results suggest no pathophysiological significance of this mutation in panic disorder. 21 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

A good time to panic? Premorbid and postmorbid panic disorder in heart failure affects cardiac and psychiatric cause admissions.

PubMed

Tully, Phillip J

2015-04-01

The authors sought to identify characteristics associated with premorbid and postmorbid panic disorder onset in relation to heart failure (HF) onset, and examine the effect on unplanned hospital admissions. In a two-stage screening process, 404 HF patients admitted to three hospitals in South Australia were referred for structured psychiatric interview when any of the following four criteria were met: (a) Patient Health Questionnaire≥10; (b) Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire≥7); (c) positive response to one-item panic attack screener; (d) or evidence of suicidality. A total of 73 referred HF patients (age 60.6±13.4, 47.9% female) were classified into three groups: premorbid panic disorder (27.4%), postmorbid panic disorder (24.7%), and no panic disorder (47.9%). Postmorbid panic disorder was associated with more psychiatric admissions and longer hospital stay in the 6 months prior to the index psychiatric assessment, and also in the 6 months after the index psychiatric assessment (all p<.05 unadjusted). In sensitivity analysis, years since panic disorder onset were associated with longer cardiac length of stay (β=.34, p=.03). Panic disorder onset in relation to HF diagnosis was associated with discrete patterns of hospital admissions for cardiac and psychiatric causes. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Panic attacks and possession by djinns: lessons from ethnopsychiatry.

PubMed

Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Del Puente, Giovanni

2012-01-01

This clinical case report shows how important it is for a psychiatrist to have a knowledge of the cultural and religious context of the patient, in order to understand fully his or her complaints. Culture and religion, in fact, are not neutral, but convey symbols, meanings, and myths that should be properly explored to shed light on the patient's inner world. Patient D was a 19-year-old Muslim Italo-Tunisian girl, who consulted a psychiatrist for anxiety and panic attacks, and reported being possessed by djinns (ie, "evil creatures", as described in the Qur'an). A culturally informed interview was carried out, together with administration of psychometric scales, including the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised and Psychological Measure of Islamic Religiousness. Based on her scores and the results of this multidimensional assessment, patient D was treated with transcultural psychotherapy and fluoxetine. After a year of follow-up, she reported no further episodes of panic disorder. For proper assessment and treatment, a combined anthropological, sociological, and psychopathological approach was necessary.

Diversity of effective treatments of panic attacks: what do they have in common?

PubMed

Roth, Walton T

2010-01-01

By comparing efficacious psychological therapies of different kinds, inferences about common effective treatment mechanisms can be made. We selected six therapies for review on the basis of the diversity of their theoretical rationales and evidence for superior efficacy: psychoanalytic psychotherapy, hypercapnic breathing training, hypocapnic breathing training, reprocessing with and without eye-movement desensitization, muscle relaxation, and cognitive behavior therapy. The likely common element of all these therapies is that they reduce the immediate expectancy of a panic attack, disrupting the vicious circle of fearing fear. Modifying expectation is usually regarded as a placebo mechanism in psychotherapy, but may be a specific treatment mechanism for panic. The fact that this is seldom the rationale communicated to the patient creates a moral dilemma: Is it ethical for therapists to mislead patients to help them? Pragmatic justification of a successful practice is a way out of this dilemma. Therapies should be evaluated that deal with expectations directly by promoting positive thinking or by fostering non-expectancy.

Panic attacks and possession by djinns: lessons from ethnopsychiatry

PubMed Central

Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Del Puente, Giovanni

2012-01-01

This clinical case report shows how important it is for a psychiatrist to have a knowledge of the cultural and religious context of the patient, in order to understand fully his or her complaints. Culture and religion, in fact, are not neutral, but convey symbols, meanings, and myths that should be properly explored to shed light on the patient’s inner world. Patient D was a 19-year-old Muslim Italo-Tunisian girl, who consulted a psychiatrist for anxiety and panic attacks, and reported being possessed by djinns (ie, “evil creatures”, as described in the Qur’an). A culturally informed interview was carried out, together with administration of psychometric scales, including the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised and Psychological Measure of Islamic Religiousness. Based on her scores and the results of this multidimensional assessment, patient D was treated with transcultural psychotherapy and fluoxetine. After a year of follow-up, she reported no further episodes of panic disorder. For proper assessment and treatment, a combined anthropological, sociological, and psychopathological approach was necessary. PMID:23293545

The role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of panic disorder: evidence from neuroimaging studies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying panic disorder (PD) are not yet clearly understood, increasing amount of evidence from animal and human studies suggests that the amygdala, which plays a pivotal role in neural network of fear and anxiety, has an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. This article aims to (1) review the findings of structural, chemical, and functional neuroimaging studies on PD, (2) relate the amygdala to panic attacks and PD development, (3) discuss the possible causes of amygdalar abnormalities in PD, (4) and suggest directions for future research. PMID:23168129

Sex Differences in Panic-Relevant Responding to a 10% Carbon Dioxide-Enriched Air Biological Challenge

PubMed Central

Nillni, Yael I.; Berenz, Erin C.; Rohan, Kelly J.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The current study examined sex differences in psychological (i.e., self-reported anxiety, panic symptoms, and avoidance) and physiological (i.e., heart rate and skin conductance level) response to, and recovery from, a laboratory biological challenge. Participants were a community-recruited sample of 128 adults (63.3% women; Mage = 23.2 years, SD = 8.9) who underwent a 4-minute 10% CO2-enriched air biological challenge. As predicted, women reported more severe physical panic symptoms and avoidance (i.e., less willingness to participate in another challenge) and demonstrated increased heart rate as compared to men above and beyond the variance accounted for by other theoretically-relevant variables (recent panic attack history, neuroticism, and anxiety sensitivity). Additionally, women demonstrated a faster rate of recovery with respect to heart rate compared to men. These results are in line with literature documenting sex-specific differences in panic psychopathology, and results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms underlying sex differences in panic vulnerability. PMID:22115836

Panic disorder: a review of DSM-IV panic disorder and proposals for DSM-V.

PubMed

Craske, Michelle G; Kircanski, Katharina; Epstein, Alyssa; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Pine, Danny S; Lewis-Fernández, Roberto; Hinton, Devon

2010-02-01

This review covers the literature since the publication of DSM-IV on the diagnostic criteria for panic attacks (PAs) and panic disorder (PD). Specific recommendations are made based on the evidence available. In particular, slight changes are proposed for the wording of the diagnostic criteria for PAs to ease the differentiation between panic and surrounding anxiety; simplification and clarification of the operationalization of types of PAs (expected vs. unexpected) is proposed; and consideration is given to the value of PAs as a specifier for all DSM diagnoses and to the cultural validity of certain symptom profiles. In addition, slight changes are proposed for the wording of the diagnostic criteria to increase clarity and parsimony of the criteria. Finally, based on the available evidence, no changes are proposed with regard to the developmental expression of PAs or PD. This review presents a number of options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V.

The mediational role of panic self-efficacy in cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fentz, Hanne N; Arendt, Mikkel; O'Toole, Mia S; Hoffart, Asle; Hougaard, Esben

2014-09-01

Cognitive models of panic disorder (PD) with or without agoraphobia have stressed the role of catastrophic beliefs of bodily symptoms as a central mediating variable of the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Perceived ability to cope with or control panic attacks, panic self-efficacy, has also been proposed to play a key role in therapeutic change; however, this cognitive factor has received much less attention in research. The aim of the present review is to evaluate panic self-efficacy as a mediator of therapeutic outcome in CBT for PD using descriptive and meta-analytic procedures. We performed systematic literature searches, and included and evaluated 33 studies according to four criteria for establishing mediation. Twenty-eight studies, including nine randomized waitlist-controlled studies, showed strong support for CBT improving panic self-efficacy (criterion 1); ten showed an association between change in panic self-efficacy and change in outcome during therapy (criterion 2); three tested, and one established formal statistical mediation of panic self-efficacy (criterion 3); while four tested and three found change in panic self-efficacy occurring before the reduction of panic severity (criterion 4). Although none of the studies fulfilled all of the four criteria, results provide some support for panic self-efficacy as a mediator of outcome in CBT for PD, generally on par with catastrophic beliefs in the reviewed studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissemination of Cognitive Therapy for Panic Disorder in Primary Care

PubMed Central

Grey, Nick; Salkovskis, Paul; Quigley, Alexandra; Clark, David M.; Ehlers, Anke

2011-01-01

This study investigated whether brief training in cognitive therapy for panic disorder (Clark et al., 1994) can improve the outcomes that primary care therapists obtain with their patients. Seven primary care therapists treated 36 patients meeting DSM-IV (APA, 1994) criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in general practice surgeries. Outcomes for the cohort of patients whom the therapists treated with their usual methods (treatment-as-usual) before the training (N = 12) were compared with those obtained with similar patients treated by the same therapists after brief training and ongoing supervision in cognitive therapy (CT) for panic disorder (N = 24). Treatment-as-usual led to significant improvements in panic severity, general anxiety, and depression. However, only a small proportion (17% of the intent-to-treat sample) became panic free and there was no improvement in agoraphobic avoidance. Patients treated with CT achieved significantly better outcomes on all measures of panic attacks, including panic-free rate (54%, intent-to-treat), and showed significantly greater improvements in agoraphobic avoidance and patient-rated general anxiety. In conclusion, cognitive therapy for panic disorder can be successfully disseminated in primary care with a brief therapist training and supervision programme that leads to significant improvements in patient outcomes. PMID:22661906

A serotonergic deficit in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter may underpin enhanced panic-like behavior in diabetic rats.

PubMed

Gambeta, Eder; Sestile, Caio C; Fogaça, Manoela V; Guimarães, Francisco S; Audi, Elisabeth A; da Cunha, Joice M; Zangrossi, Hélio; Shimene de Melo Yamashita, Paula; Zanoveli, Janaina M

2017-10-01

It is known that diabetic (DBT) animals present dysregulation on the serotonergic system in several brain areas associated with anxiety-like responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of 5-HT1A receptors on dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in the behavioral response related to panic disorder in type-1 DBT animals. For this, the escape response by electric stimulation (ES) of dPAG in DBT and normoglycemic (NGL) animals was assessed. Both NGL and DBT animals were exposed to an open-field test (OFT) 28 days after DBT confirmation. The current threshold to induce escape behavior in DBT animals was reduced compared with NGL animals. No impairment in locomotor activity was observed when DBT animals were compared with NGL animals. An intra-dPAG injection of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist (±)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) increased the [INCREMENT] threshold in both DBT and NGL, suggesting a panicolytic-like effect. DBT animals presented a more pronounced panicolytic-like response compared with NGL as a higher [INCREMENT] threshold was observed after 8-OH-DPAT treatment, which could be a consequence of the increased expression of the 5-HT1A receptor in the dPAG from DBT animals. Our results are in line with the proposal that a deficiency in serotonergic modulation of the dPAG is involved in triggering the panic attack and the 5-HT1A receptors might be essential for the panicolytic-like response.

Evaluation of JNJ-54717793 a Novel Brain Penetrant Selective Orexin 1 Receptor Antagonist in Two Rat Models of Panic Attack Provocation.

PubMed

Bonaventure, Pascal; Dugovic, Christine; Shireman, Brock; Preville, Cathy; Yun, Sujin; Lord, Brian; Nepomuceno, Diane; Wennerholm, Michelle; Lovenberg, Timothy; Carruthers, Nicolas; Fitz, Stephanie D; Shekhar, Anantha; Johnson, Philip L

2017-01-01

Orexin neurons originating in the perifornical and lateral hypothalamic area are highly reactive to anxiogenic stimuli and have strong projections to anxiety and panic-associated circuitry. Recent studies support a role for the orexin system and in particular the orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) in coordinating an integrative stress response. However, no selective OX1R antagonist has been systematically tested in two preclinical models of using panicogenic stimuli that induce panic attack in the majority of people with panic disorder, namely an acute hypercapnia-panic provocation model and a model involving chronic inhibition of GABA synthesis in the perifornical hypothalamic area followed by intravenous sodium lactate infusion. Here we report on a novel brain penetrant, selective and high affinity OX1R antagonist JNJ-54717793 (1S,2R,4R)-7-([(3-fluoro-2-pyrimidin-2-ylphenyl)carbonyl]- N -[5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazin-2-yl]-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-amine). JNJ-54717793 is a high affinity/potent OX1R antagonist and has an excellent selectivity profile including 50 fold versus the OX2R. Ex vivo receptor binding studies demonstrated that after oral administration JNJ-54717793 crossed the blood brain barrier and occupied OX1Rs in the rat brain. While JNJ-54717793 had minimal effect on spontaneous sleep in rats and in wild-type mice, its administration in OX2R knockout mice, selectively promoted rapid eye movement sleep, demonstrating target engagement and specific OX1R blockade. JNJ-54717793 attenuated CO 2 and sodium lactate induced panic-like behaviors and cardiovascular responses without altering baseline locomotor or autonomic activity. These data confirm that selective OX1R antagonism may represent a novel approach of treating anxiety disorders, with no apparent sedative effects.

Facing the fear--clinical and neural effects of cognitive behavioural and pharmacotherapy in panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Liebscher, Carolin; Wittmann, André; Gechter, Johanna; Schlagenhauf, Florian; Lueken, Ulrike; Plag, Jens; Straube, Benjamin; Pfleiderer, Bettina; Fehm, Lydia; Gerlach, Alexander L; Kircher, Tilo; Fydrich, Thomas; Deckert, Jürgen; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Heinz, Andreas; Arolt, Volker; Ströhle, Andreas

2016-03-01

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and pharmacological treatment with selective serotonin or serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI/SSNRI) are regarded as efficacious treatments for panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/AG). However, little is known about treatment-specific effects on symptoms and neurofunctional correlates. We used a comparative design with PD/AG patients receiving either two types of CBT (therapist-guided (n=29) or non-guided exposure (n=22)) or pharmacological treatment (SSRI/SSNRI; n=28) as well as a wait-list control group (WL; n=15) to investigate differential treatment effects in general aspects of fear and depression (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale HAM-A and Beck Depression Inventory BDI), disorder-specific symptoms (Mobility Inventory MI, Panic and Agoraphobia Scale subscale panic attacks PAS-panic, Anxiety Sensitivity Index ASI, rating of agoraphobic stimuli) and neurofunctional substrates during symptom provocation (Westphal-Paradigm) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Comparisons of neural activation patterns also included healthy controls (n=29). Both treatments led to a significantly greater reduction in panic attacks, depression and general anxiety than the WL group. The CBT groups, in particular, the therapist-guided arm, had a significantly greater decrease in avoidance, fear of phobic situations and anxiety symptoms and reduction in bilateral amygdala activation while the processing of agoraphobia-related pictures compared to the SSRI/SSNRI and WL groups. This study demonstrates that therapist-guided CBT leads to a more pronounced short-term impact on agoraphobic psychopathology and supports the assumption of the amygdala as a central structure in a complex fear processing system as well as the amygdala's involvement in the fear system's sensitivity to treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Anxiety sensitivity and its importance in psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Mantar, Atıl; Yemez, Beyazıt; Alkın, Tunç

2011-01-01

Anxiety sensitivity refers to the extent of beliefs that anxiety symptoms or arousal can have harmful consequences. There is growing evidence for anxiety sensitivity as a risk factor for anxiety disorders. Anxiety sensitivity is elevated in panic disorder as well as other anxiety disorders. It is thought to contribute to the maintenance and severity of anxiety symptoms. Studies have shown that anxiety sensitivity more specifically predicts the future occurrence of panic attacks. The Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), which measures the construct of anxiety sensitivity, has three subscales, namely, the ASI-Physical subscale, ASI-Social subscale and ASI-Mental Incapacitation Concerns subscale. The dimension reflecting "fear of physical sensations" of anxiety sensitivity is the most predictive one of panic attacks and panic disorder. Research on the ASI has demonstrated that persons diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder all had ASI scores higher than normal controls. Depression was speculated to hold a positive correlation to high anxiety sensitivity scores. The relationships between anxiety sensitivity, alcohol and substance use disorders are still unknown. There is evidence that anxiety sensitivity is related with "drinking used as a way of coping". Since anxiety sensitivity is a cognitive construct, it should be taken into consideration when evaluating patients with anxiety and psychotherapeutic formulations.

Low serum concentrations of vitamin B6 and iron are related to panic attack and hyperventilation attack.

PubMed

Mikawa, Yasuhito; Mizobuchi, Satoshi; Egi, Moritoki; Morita, Kiyoshi

2013-01-01

Patients undergoing a panic attack (PA) or a hyperventilation attack (HVA) are sometimes admitted to emergency departments (EDs). Reduced serotonin level is known as one of the causes of PA and HVA. Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan. For the synthesis of serotonin, vitamin B6 (Vit B6) and iron play important roles as cofactors. To clarify the pathophysiology of PA and HVA, we investigated the serum levels of vitamins B2, B6, and B12 and iron in patients with PA or HVA attending an ED. We measured each parameter in 21 PA or HVA patients and compared the values with those from 20 volunteers. We found that both Vit B6 and iron levels were significantly lower in the PA/HVA group than in the volunteer group. There was no significant difference in the serum levels of vitamins B2 or B12. These results suggest that low serum concentrations of Vit B6 and iron are involved in PA and HVA. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms involved in such differences.

Evidence That the Periaqueductal Gray Matter Mediates the Facilitation of Panic-Like Reactions in Neonatally-Isolated Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Quintino-dos-Santos, Jeyce Willig; Müller, Cláudia Janaína Torres; Bernabé, Cristie Setúbal; Rosa, Caroline Azevedo; Tufik, Sérgio; Schenberg, Luiz Carlos

2014-01-01

Plenty of evidence suggests that childhood separation anxiety (CSA) predisposes the subject to adult-onset panic disorder (PD). As well, panic is frequently comorbid with both anxiety and depression. The brain mechanisms whereby CSA predisposes to PD are but completely unknown in spite of the increasing evidence that panic attacks are mediated at midbrain's dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG). Accordingly, here we examined whether the neonatal social isolation (NSI), a model of CSA, facilitates panic-like behaviors produced by electrical stimulations of DPAG of rats as adults. Eventual changes in anxiety and depression were also assessed in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and forced-swimming test (FST) respectively. Male pups were subjected to 3-h daily isolations from post-natal day 2 (PN2) until weaning (PN21) allotting half of litters in individual boxes inside a sound-attenuated chamber (NSI, n = 26) whilst siblings (sham-isolated rats, SHAM, n = 27) and dam were moved to another box in a separate room. Non-handled controls (CTRL, n = 18) remained undisturbed with dams until weaning. As adults, rats were implanted with electrodes into the DPAG (PN60) and subjected to sessions of intracranial stimulation (PN65), EPM (PN66) and FST (PN67-PN68). Groups were compared by Fisher's exact test (stimulation sites), likelihood ratio chi-square tests (stimulus-response threshold curves) and Bonferroni's post hoc t-tests (EPM and FST), for P<0.05. Notably, DPAG-evoked panic-like responses of immobility, exophthalmus, trotting, galloping and jumping were markedly facilitated in NSI rats relative to both SHAM and CTRL groups. Conversely, anxiety and depression scores either did not change or were even reduced in neonatally-handled groups relative to CTRL, respectively. Data are the first behavioral evidence in animals that early-life separation stress produces the selective facilitation of panic-like behaviors in adulthood. Most importantly, results implicate the DPAG not only in panic attacks but also in separation-anxious children's predispositions to the late development of PD. PMID:24594924

A Laboratory-Based Test of the Relation between Adolescent Alcohol Use and Panic-Relevant Responding

PubMed Central

Blumenthal, Heidemarie; Cloutier, Renee M.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Bunaciu, Liviu; Knapp, Ashley A.

2015-01-01

A burgeoning literature supports a link between alcohol use and panic-spectrum problems (e.g., panic attacks, disorder) among adolescents, but the direction of influence has yet to be properly examined. From a theoretical perspective, panic-spectrum problems may increase risk for problematic drinking via affect regulation efforts (e.g., self-medication), and problematic consumption also may increase or initiate panic-relevant responding (e.g., learning or kindling models). The objective of the current investigation was to examine the role of prior alcohol use in predicting panic-relevant responding, as well as panic symptom history in predicting the desire to consume alcohol, in the context of either a voluntary hyperventilation or a low-arousal task. Participants were community-recruited adolescents aged 12-17 years (n = 92, Mage = 15.42, SD = 1.51; 39.1% girls). Results indicated that prior alcohol use predicted panic-relevant responding among those undergoing the hyperventilation task (but not the low-arousal task), and that this finding was robust to the inclusion of theoretically-relevant covariates (i.e. age, sex, negative affectivity). However, panic symptom history did not predict the desire to consume alcohol as a function of either the hyperventilation or low-arousal condition. This work sheds further light on the nature of the relation between panic-spectrum problems and problematic alcohol use in adolescence. Specifically, the current findings suggest that frequent alcohol use may increase panic vulnerability among adolescents, whereas acute panic symptoms may not elicit the immediate (self-reported) desire to drink. PMID:26053320

Sex differences in panic-relevant responding to a 10% carbon dioxide-enriched air biological challenge.

PubMed

Nillni, Yael I; Berenz, Erin C; Rohan, Kelly J; Zvolensky, Michael J

2012-01-01

The current study examined sex differences in psychological (i.e., self-reported anxiety, panic symptoms, and avoidance) and physiological (i.e., heart rate and skin conductance level) response to, and recovery from, a laboratory biological challenge. Participants were a community-recruited sample of 128 adults (63.3% women; M(age)=23.2 years, SD=8.9) who underwent a 4-min 10% CO(2)-enriched air biological challenge. As predicted, women reported more severe physical panic symptoms and avoidance (i.e., less willingness to participate in another challenge) and demonstrated increased heart rate as compared to men above and beyond the variance accounted for by other theoretically relevant variables (recent panic attack history, neuroticism, and anxiety sensitivity). Additionally, women demonstrated a faster rate of recovery with respect to heart rate compared to men. These results are in line with literature documenting sex-specific differences in panic psychopathology, and results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms underlying sex differences in panic vulnerability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ataques de nervios: culturally bound and distinct from panic attacks?

PubMed

Keough, Meghan E; Timpano, Kiara R; Schmidt, Norman B

2009-01-01

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000) has emphasized the importance of understanding psychopathology within a cultural framework by including culture-bound syndromes within its appendices. These syndromes are proposed to be bound to certain cultures and distinct from other psychological disorders. Included among the syndromes are ataques de nervios (ADN), which are reported to be bound to the Hispanic culture and closely resemble panic attacks. However, the cultural distinctiveness and phenomenology of ADN has not been adequately investigated. The current study employed an ethnically diverse study sample (N=342) of undergraduates. Participants completed a number of measures that assessed acculturation, syndrome and anxiety risk factors. In contrast to the DSM-IV's conceptualization of ADN, the rate of ADN did not significantly vary across the three main groups (African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic participants) nor did it vary based on acculturation. More consistent with the DSM-IV, the symptom comparisons indicated some differentiation between ADN and panic attacks. The present report provides data indicating that ADNs, as described by the DSM-IV, are not unique to the Hispanic culture and are experienced by non-Hispanic individuals at similar rates to Hispanic-endorsement. The findings are consistent with the DSM-IV assertion that ADNs and PAs are distinct syndromes. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Identification of a Novel Gnao-Mediated Alternate Olfactory Signaling Pathway in Murine OSNs.

PubMed

Scholz, Paul; Mohrhardt, Julia; Jansen, Fabian; Kalbe, Benjamin; Haering, Claudia; Klasen, Katharina; Hatt, Hanns; Osterloh, Sabrina

2016-01-01

It is generally agreed that in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), the binding of odorant molecules to their specific olfactory receptor (OR) triggers a cAMP-dependent signaling cascade, activating cyclic-nucleotide gated (CNG) channels. However, considerable controversy dating back more than 20 years has surrounded the question of whether alternate signaling plays a role in mammalian olfactory transduction. In this study, we demonstrate a specific alternate signaling pathway in Olfr73-expressing OSNs. Methylisoeugenol (MIEG) and at least one other known weak Olfr73 agonist (Raspberry Ketone) trigger a signaling cascade independent from the canonical pathway, leading to the depolarization of the cell. Interestingly, this pathway is mediated by Gnao activation, leading to Cl(-) efflux; however, the activation of adenylyl cyclase III (ACIII), the recruitment of Ca(2+) from extra-or intracellular stores, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent signaling (PI signaling) are not involved. Furthermore, we demonstrated that our newly identified pathway coexists with the canonical olfactory cAMP pathway in the same OSN and can be triggered by the same OR in a ligand-selective manner. We suggest that this pathway might reflect a mechanism for odor recognition predominantly used in early developmental stages before olfactory cAMP signaling is fully developed. Taken together, our findings support the existence of at least one odor-induced alternate signal transduction pathway in native OSNs mediated by Olfr73 in a ligand-selective manner.

[Comorbidity of panic disorder and alcoholism in a sample of 100 alcoholic patients].

PubMed

Segui, J; Salvador, L; Canet, J; Herrera, C; Aragón, C

1994-01-01

Among one hundred patients with alcohol dependence (DSM-III-R) studied in a drug abuse center in the "Bajo Llobregat" area (Barcelona industrial belt it was detected that 27% had life time rate of panic disorder. The age of onset of alcoholism was earlier than the one for panic disorder. In 78.8% of these patients alcoholismo appeared first. 70.4% refer worsening of the panic attacks when drinking large amounts of alcohol. Patients with Panic Disorder: a) are younger (p < 0.05); b) have attended school longer and have higher education (p < 0.01); c) have more alcoholism family history (p < 0.05); d) have more major depressive disorders (0.05) and dysthimic disorder (p < 0.01); e) Worse social functioning according to the GAS (p < 0.01); f) higher score for the Psychological disorders Scale (p < 0.001) and a lower performance at work (p < 0.001) measured by the ASI. The clinical significance of these findings is discussed.

Assessing the clinical utility of agoraphobia in the context of panic disorder.

PubMed

Schmidt, Norman B; Cromer, Kiara R

2008-01-01

In the DSM-IV, a panic disorder (PD) diagnosis includes specification of agoraphobia, which is primarily an index of situational avoidance due to fear of panic. No other anxiety diagnosis requires specification of level of avoidance. This raises the question as to whether agoraphobia provides unique information beyond the core features of PD (i.e., panic attacks and panic-related worry). The incremental validity of agoraphobia, defined using DSM-IV specifiers versus level of situational avoidance, was examined in relation to the expression and treatment of PD (N=146). Analyses indicate that agoraphobia status adds uniquely to the prediction of PD symptoms, impairment, and response to treatment. However, level of situational avoidance, defined either as a continuous or dichotomous variable, appears to have greater utility compared to the DSM-IV method of classifying agoraphobia. In summary, the agoraphobia specifier seems to have clinical utility but this could be improved by focusing on a dimensional assessment of situational avoidance.

[Comorbidity in panic disorders and alcoholism (II). Alcoholism in a sample of 148 patients with panic disorders].

PubMed

Segui, J; Salvador, L; Canet, J; Aragón, C; Herrera, C

1995-01-01

Among 148 patients presenting Panic Disorder (DSM-III-R), 18.9% have an alcohol disorder, 8.8% present abuse and 10.1% dependence. Mean age of onset of alcoholism was much earlier than panic disorder. Patients with alcoholism: a) are males more frequently (0.001); b) present more alcoholism in first grade relatives (0.05); c) use more often other drugs like: tobacco (0.01), coffee (p < 0.01), cocaine (p < 0.01) and cannabis (p < 0.001), d) patients with alcoholism refer a greater severity of their panic attacks when drinking large amounts of alcohol (25%) than the group without these problems (2.5%) (x2:14.8) (p < 0.001) e) according to the GAS the overall level of performance is lower in alcoholics (p < 0.005); f) present more anxiety measured by the HARS (p < 0.01), and therefore have more comorbid anxiety disorders according to DSM-III-R (p < 0.01). The clinical significance of these findings is discussed.

Anxiety disorders and onset of cardiovascular disease: the differential impact of panic, phobias and worry.

PubMed

Batelaan, Neeltje M; ten Have, Margreet; van Balkom, Anton J L M; Tuithof, Marlous; de Graaf, Ron

2014-03-01

Anxiety has been linked to onset of cardiovascular disease. This study examines the differential impact of types of anxiety (panic, phobia and worry) on 3-year onset of non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD). By investigating anxiety disorders as opposed to anxiety symptoms and by using a reliable diagnostic instrument to assess anxiety, limitations of previous studies are considered. 5149 persons at risk for CVD were interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The panic-type included panic disorder and panic attacks; the phobic-type included agoraphobia and social phobia, and the worry-type included generalized anxiety disorder. CVD was self-reported and required treatment or monitoring by a doctor. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographics, behavioral variables, and comorbid somatic and psychiatric disorders. During follow-up, 62 persons (1.2%) developed CVD. Baseline generalized anxiety disorder was strongly associated with onset of CVD (adjusted OR: 3.39). Further research should replicate findings and focus on biological underpinnings of this association. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bath Salts

MedlinePlus

... panic attacks depression suicidal thoughts paranoia delusions and hallucinations distorted sense of reality decreased ability to think ... of bath salts may cause people to have hallucinations, hear voices, feel paranoid, and develop a psychosis ...

Pan, Syrinx and syringomyelia.

PubMed

Palacios-Sánchez, Leonardo; Botero-Meneses, Juan Sebastián; Vélez-Flórez, María Camila

2017-12-01

Many myths and legends have had a deep influence on modern language, and on modern medical vernacular. The terms "syrinx" and "panic"are two of the most characteristic examples and their use in neurology and other specialties is well known. This article reviews the history of these words in Greek mythology and their use in modern medicine. It is known by very few that clinical symptoms or conditions, such as syringomyelia and panic attacks, have a mythological origin in their definition and naming.

Panic symptoms in transient loss of consciousness: Frequency and diagnostic value in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, epilepsy and syncope.

PubMed

Rawlings, G H; Jamnadas-Khoda, J; Broadhurst, M; Grünewald, R A; Howell, S J; Koepp, M; Parry, S W; Sisodiya, S M; Walker, M C; Reuber, M

2017-05-01

Previous studies suggest that ictal panic symptoms are common in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). This study investigates the frequency of panic symptoms in PNES and if panic symptoms, just before or during episodes, can help distinguish PNES from the other common causes of transient loss of consciousness (TLOC), syncope and epilepsy. Patients with secure diagnoses of PNES (n=98), epilepsy (n=95) and syncope (n=100) were identified using clinical databases from three United Kingdom hospitals. Patients self-reported the frequency with which they experienced seven symptoms of panic disorder in association with their episodes. A composite panic symptom score was calculated on the basis of the frequency of symptoms. 8.2% of patients with PNES reported "never" experiencing any of the seven panic symptoms in their episodes of TLOC. Patients with PNES reported more frequent panic symptoms in their attacks than those with epilepsy (p<0.001) or syncope (p<0.001), however, patients with PNES were more likely "rarely" or "never" to report five of the seven-ictal panic symptoms than "frequently" or "always" (45-69% versus 13-29%). A receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the composite panic symptom score distinguished patients with PNES from the other groups (sensitivity 71.1%, specificity 71.2%), but not epilepsy from syncope. Patients with PNES report TLOC associated panic symptoms more commonly than those with epilepsy or syncope. Although panic symptoms are reported infrequently by most patients with PNES, a composite symptom score may contribute to the differentiation between PNES and the other two common causes of TLOC. Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia: a randomized controlled trial to examine the role of therapist-guided exposure in situ in CBT.

PubMed

Gloster, Andrew T; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Einsle, Franziska; Lang, Thomas; Helbig-Lang, Sylvia; Fydrich, Thomas; Fehm, Lydia; Hamm, Alfons O; Richter, Jan; Alpers, Georg W; Alpers, George W; Gerlach, Alexander L; Ströhle, Andreas; Kircher, Tilo; Deckert, Jürgen; Zwanzger, Peter; Höfler, Michael; Arolt, Volker

2011-06-01

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a first-line treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/AG). Nevertheless, an understanding of its mechanisms and particularly the role of therapist-guided exposure is lacking. This study was aimed to evaluate whether therapist-guided exposure in situ is associated with more pervasive and long-lasting effects than therapist-prescribed exposure in situ. A multicenter randomized controlled trial, in which 369 PD/AG patients were treated and followed up for 6 months. Patients were randomized to 2 manual-based variants of CBT (T+/T-) or a wait-list control group (WL; n = 68) and were treated twice weekly for 12 sessions. CBT variants were identical in content, structure, and length, except for implementation of exposure in situ: In the T+ variant (n = 163), therapists planned and supervised exposure in situ exercises outside the therapy room; in the T- group (n = 138), therapists planned and discussed patients' in situ exposure exercises but did not accompany them. Primary outcome measures were (a) Hamilton Anxiety Scale, (b) Clinical Global Impression, (c) number of panic attacks, and (d) agoraphobic avoidance (Mobility Inventory). For T+ and T- compared with WL, all outcome measures improved significantly with large effect sizes from baseline to post (range = -0.5 to -2.5) and from post to follow-up (range = -0.02 to -1.0). T+ improved more than T- on the Clinical Global Impression and Mobility Inventory at post and follow-up and had greater reduction in panic attacks during the follow-up period. Reduction in agoraphobic avoidance accelerated after exposure was introduced. A dose-response relation was found for Time × Frequency of Exposure and reduction in agoraphobic avoidance. Therapist-guided exposure is more effective for agoraphobic avoidance, overall functioning, and panic attacks in the follow-up period than is CBT without therapist-guided exposure. Therapist-guided exposure promotes additional therapeutic improvement--possibly mediated by increased physical engagement in feared situations--beyond the effects of a CBT treatment in which exposure is simply instructed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

9/11 to the Iraq War: Using Books to Help Children Understand Troubled Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rycik, Mary Taylor

2006-01-01

Four years after the 9/11 attack on the United States, the country continues to be in considerable turmoil. Children have lived through the devastation of the September 11th attacks, the panic over the anthrax mailings, the hunt for terrorists in Afghanistan, elevated homeland security threat levels, the war in Iraq, the tsunami disaster, and…

Phobias

MedlinePlus

... More for Teens Teens site Sitio para adolescentes Body Mind Sexual Health Food & Fitness Diseases & Conditions Infections Drugs & ... sense may not be able to stop the mind and body from reacting and having a panic attack. Different ...

Cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of panic disorder

PubMed Central

Manjula, M.; Kumariah, V.; Prasadarao, P. S. D. V.; Raguram, R.

2009-01-01

Background: Comprehensive cognitive behavior therapies have been proved to be more effective than behavioral interventions. However, the efficacy of CBT is not studied in the Indian context and also, the amount of change brought about by CBT is not known. Aims: This study aims to examine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) in the treatment of panic disorder. Our specific objectives were to assess the effectiveness of CBI in reducing symptom severity as well as cognitions related to panic and panic-related behaviors. Design: The study adopted a two-group comparison with pre- and postassessments design. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 30 patients sequentially allotted to the CBI (n = 15) and behavioral intervention (BI, n = 15) groups. Assessment was done using a semistructured interview schedule, panic disorder severity scale, Texas panic attack record form, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Agoraphobic cognitions questionnaire, Behavioral avoidance checklist, and Panic appraisal inventory. The CBI group was provided with comprehensive cognitive behavior therapy and the BI group with psycho-education and applied relaxation. Results: CBI was found to be superior to BI in the reduction of panic symptoms, behavioral avoidance, safety behaviors, and cognitions. A large percentage of the CBI group patients met the criteria for clinically significant change with a large magnitude of change. Conclusion: Multicomponent CBI is superior to BI in terms of the amount of change it brings about with respect to panic symptoms, avoidance, safety behaviors, and cognitions. PMID:19823629

Subregional Shape Alterations in the Amygdala in Patients with Panic Disorder.

PubMed

Yoon, Sujung; Kim, Jieun E; Kim, Geon Ha; Kang, Hee Jin; Kim, Bori R; Jeon, Saerom; Im, Jooyeon Jamie; Hyun, Heejung; Moon, Sohyeon; Lim, Soo Mee; Lyoo, In Kyoon

2016-01-01

The amygdala has been known to play a pivotal role in mediating fear-related responses including panic attacks. Given the functionally distinct role of the amygdalar subregions, morphometric measurements of the amygdala may point to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying panic disorder. The current study aimed to determine the global and local morphometric alterations of the amygdala related to panic disorder. Volumetric and surface-based morphometric approach to high-resolution three-dimensional T1-weighted images was used to examine the structural variations of the amygdala, with respect to extent and location, in 23 patients with panic disorder and 31 matched healthy individuals. There were no significant differences in bilateral amygdalar volumes between patients with panic disorder and healthy individuals despite a trend-level right amygdalar volume reduction related to panic disorder (right, β = -0.23, p = 0.09, Cohen's d = 0.51; left, β = -0.18, p = 0.19, Cohen's d = 0.45). Amygdalar subregions were localized into three groups including the superficial, centromedial, and laterobasal groups based on the cytoarchitectonically defined probability map. Surface-based morphometric analysis revealed shape alterations in the laterobasal and centromedial groups of the right amygdala in patients with panic disorder (false discovery rate corrected p < 0.05). The current findings suggest that subregion-specific shape alterations in the right amygdala may be involved in the development and maintenance of panic disorder, which may be attributed to the cause or effects of amygdalar hyperactivation.

Subregional Shape Alterations in the Amygdala in Patients with Panic Disorder

PubMed Central

Kim, Geon Ha; Kang, Hee Jin; Kim, Bori R.; Jeon, Saerom; Im, Jooyeon Jamie; Hyun, Heejung; Moon, Sohyeon; Lim, Soo Mee; Lyoo, In Kyoon

2016-01-01

Background The amygdala has been known to play a pivotal role in mediating fear-related responses including panic attacks. Given the functionally distinct role of the amygdalar subregions, morphometric measurements of the amygdala may point to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying panic disorder. The current study aimed to determine the global and local morphometric alterations of the amygdala related to panic disorder. Methods Volumetric and surface-based morphometric approach to high-resolution three-dimensional T1-weighted images was used to examine the structural variations of the amygdala, with respect to extent and location, in 23 patients with panic disorder and 31 matched healthy individuals. Results There were no significant differences in bilateral amygdalar volumes between patients with panic disorder and healthy individuals despite a trend-level right amygdalar volume reduction related to panic disorder (right, β = -0.23, p = 0.09, Cohen's d = 0.51; left, β = -0.18, p = 0.19, Cohen's d = 0.45). Amygdalar subregions were localized into three groups including the superficial, centromedial, and laterobasal groups based on the cytoarchitectonically defined probability map. Surface-based morphometric analysis revealed shape alterations in the laterobasal and centromedial groups of the right amygdala in patients with panic disorder (false discovery rate corrected p < 0.05). Conclusions The current findings suggest that subregion-specific shape alterations in the right amygdala may be involved in the development and maintenance of panic disorder, which may be attributed to the cause or effects of amygdalar hyperactivation. PMID:27336300

Exaggerated compensatory response to acute respiratory alkalosis in panic disorder is induced by increased lactic acid production.

PubMed

Ueda, Yoshiyasu; Aizawa, Masayo; Takahashi, Atsushi; Fujii, Masamitsu; Isaka, Yoshitaka

2009-03-01

In acute respiratory alkalosis, the severity of alkalaemia is ameliorated by a decrease in plasma [HCO(3)(-)] of 0.2 mEq/L for each 1 mmHg decrease in PaCO(2). Although hyperventilation in panic disorder patients is frequently encountered in outpatients, the drop in plasma [HCO(3)(-)] sometimes surpasses the expectation calculated from the above formula. The quantitative relationship between reduced PaCO(2) and plasma [HCO(3)(-)] in acute respiratory alkalosis has not been studied in panic disorder patients. Our objective was to provide reference data for the compensatory metabolic changes in acute respiratory alkalosis in panic disorder patients. In 34 panic disorder patients with hyperventilation attacks, we measured arterial pH, PaCO(2), plasma [HCO(3)(-)] and lactate on arrival at the emergency room. For each decrease of 1 mmHg in PaCO(2), plasma [HCO(3)(-)] decreased by 0.41 mEq/L. During hypocapnia, panic disorder patients exhibited larger increases in serum lactate levels (mean +/- SD; 2.59 +/- 1.50 mmol/L, range; 0.78-7.78 mmol/L) than previously reported in non-panic disorder subjects. Plasma lactate accumulation was correlated with PaCO(2) (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the compensatory metabolic response to acute respiratory alkalosis is exaggerated by increased lactic acid production in panic disorder patients. Here, we call attention to the diagnosis of acid-base derangements by means of plasma [HCO(3)(-)] and lactate concentration in panic disorder patients.

Do symptom interpretations mediate the relationship between panic attack symptoms and agoraphobic avoidance?

PubMed

Berle, David; Starcevic, Vladan; Milicevic, Denise; Hannan, Anthony; Moses, Karen

2010-05-01

There is little consensus as to whether agoraphobic avoidance in panic disorder is characterized by a prominence of particular symptoms and interpretations of those symptoms. We sought to clarify the relationship between symptoms and agoraphobic avoidance and to establish whether catastrophic interpretations of symptoms mediate any such relationships. The Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire and Mobility Inventory were administered to 117 patients with panic disorder who were attending an outpatient anxiety disorders clinic. Medium to large associations were found between most symptoms and agoraphobic avoidance and between particular symptoms and the corresponding symptom interpretation items. Some interpretations of symptoms were found to mediate relationships between symptoms and agoraphobic avoidance. These findings suggest that the catastrophic misinterpretation model of panic disorder can to some extent be invoked to explain the extent of agoraphobic avoidance, but that there may also be other pathways leading from symptoms to agoraphobia.

Does help-seeking alter the risk for incident psychopathology in adolescents and young adults with and without fearful spells or panic attacks? Findings from a 10-year prospective-longitudinal community study.

PubMed

Asselmann, Eva; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Lieb, Roselind; Höfler, Michael; Beesdo-Baum, Katja

2014-12-01

Although fearful spells (FS) and panic attacks (PA) increase the risk for various mental disorders, few studies have examined whether help-seeking in those with FS/PA attenuates the risk for incident psychopathology. A community sample of adolescents and young adults (N=2978, aged 14-24 at baseline) was followed up in up to 3 assessment waves over 10 years. FS, PA, psychopathology, and help-seeking were assessed using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Logistic regressions with interaction terms (adjusted for sex and age) were used to test interactions between FS/PA and help-seeking at baseline on predicting incident psychopathology at follow-up. Cases with panic disorder (PD) at baseline were excluded from all analyses. FS/PA at baseline predicted the onset of any disorder, any anxiety disorder, PD, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and depression at follow-up (Odds Ratios, OR 1.62-5.80). FS/PA and help-seeking at baseline interacted on predicting incident PD (OR=0.09) and depression (OR=0.22) at follow-up in a way that FS/PA only predicted the respective disorders in individuals not seeking help at baseline. In those with FS/PA, a higher number of panic symptoms interacted with help-seeking on predicting incident PD (OR=0.63) in a way that a higher number of panic symptoms only increased the risk for PD in those without help-seeking at baseline. Help-seeking at baseline was not restricted to panic-specific interventions, but included treatment due to other psychological problems as well. Findings suggest that early help-seeking might modify psychopathology trajectories and prevent incident disorders in high-risk individuals with FS/PA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of JNJ-54717793 a Novel Brain Penetrant Selective Orexin 1 Receptor Antagonist in Two Rat Models of Panic Attack Provocation

PubMed Central

Bonaventure, Pascal; Dugovic, Christine; Shireman, Brock; Preville, Cathy; Yun, Sujin; Lord, Brian; Nepomuceno, Diane; Wennerholm, Michelle; Lovenberg, Timothy; Carruthers, Nicolas; Fitz, Stephanie D.; Shekhar, Anantha; Johnson, Philip L.

2017-01-01

Orexin neurons originating in the perifornical and lateral hypothalamic area are highly reactive to anxiogenic stimuli and have strong projections to anxiety and panic-associated circuitry. Recent studies support a role for the orexin system and in particular the orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) in coordinating an integrative stress response. However, no selective OX1R antagonist has been systematically tested in two preclinical models of using panicogenic stimuli that induce panic attack in the majority of people with panic disorder, namely an acute hypercapnia-panic provocation model and a model involving chronic inhibition of GABA synthesis in the perifornical hypothalamic area followed by intravenous sodium lactate infusion. Here we report on a novel brain penetrant, selective and high affinity OX1R antagonist JNJ-54717793 (1S,2R,4R)-7-([(3-fluoro-2-pyrimidin-2-ylphenyl)carbonyl]-N-[5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazin-2-yl]-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-amine). JNJ-54717793 is a high affinity/potent OX1R antagonist and has an excellent selectivity profile including 50 fold versus the OX2R. Ex vivo receptor binding studies demonstrated that after oral administration JNJ-54717793 crossed the blood brain barrier and occupied OX1Rs in the rat brain. While JNJ-54717793 had minimal effect on spontaneous sleep in rats and in wild-type mice, its administration in OX2R knockout mice, selectively promoted rapid eye movement sleep, demonstrating target engagement and specific OX1R blockade. JNJ-54717793 attenuated CO2 and sodium lactate induced panic-like behaviors and cardiovascular responses without altering baseline locomotor or autonomic activity. These data confirm that selective OX1R antagonism may represent a novel approach of treating anxiety disorders, with no apparent sedative effects. PMID:28649201

Dynamics of defensive reactivity in patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia: implications for the etiology of panic disorder.

PubMed

Richter, Jan; Hamm, Alfons O; Pané-Farré, Christiane A; Gerlach, Alexander L; Gloster, Andrew T; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Lang, Thomas; Alpers, Georg W; Helbig-Lang, Sylvia; Deckert, Jürgen; Fydrich, Thomas; Fehm, Lydia; Ströhle, Andreas; Kircher, Tilo; Arolt, Volker

2012-09-15

The learning perspective of panic disorder distinguishes between acute panic and anxious apprehension as distinct emotional states. Following animal models, these clinical entities reflect different stages of defensive reactivity depending upon the imminence of interoceptive or exteroceptive threat cues. The current study tested this model by investigating the dynamics of defensive reactivity in a large group of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PD/AG). Three hundred forty-five PD/AG patients participated in a standardized behavioral avoidance test (being entrapped in a small, dark chamber for 10 minutes). Defense reactivity was assessed measuring avoidance and escape behavior, self-reports of anxiety and panic symptoms, autonomic arousal (heart rate and skin conductance), and potentiation of the startle reflex before and during exposure of the behavioral avoidance test. Panic disorder and agoraphobia patients differed substantially in their defensive reactivity. While 31.6% of the patients showed strong anxious apprehension during this task (as indexed by increased reports of anxiety, elevated physiological arousal, and startle potentiation), 20.9% of the patients escaped from the test chamber. Active escape was initiated at the peak of the autonomic surge accompanied by an inhibition of the startle response as predicted by the animal model. These physiological responses resembled the pattern observed during the 34 reported panic attacks. We found evidence that defensive reactivity in PD/AG patients is dynamically organized ranging from anxious apprehension to panic with increasing proximity of interoceptive threat. These data support the learning perspective of panic disorder. Copyright © 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The longitudinal course and outcome of panic disorder.

PubMed

Pollack, M H; Smoller, J W

1995-12-01

Converging lines of evidence from a variety of methods of inquiry support a developmental model for panic disorder that includes a constitutional predisposition for anxiety influenced by genetic, familial, cognitive-behavioral and psychosocial factors, early expression during childhood, and variable manifestations during the life-cycle. Studies of patients followed up after acute pharmacotherapy trials and those treated naturalistically are consistent with this model and portray panic disorder as a generally chronic condition with a longitudinal course marked by relatively brief intervals of remission and high rates of recurrence and relapse. Longitudinal and follow-up studies suggest that panic attack frequency responds more readily and rapidly to pharmacotherapy than do other aspects of panic disorder such as agoraphobia and generalized anxiety. In general, the presence of agoraphobia is associated with more severe symptoms, greater chronicity, and more limited response to treatment. Other variables associated with chronicity and treatment resistance include patient-related factors (psychiatric and medical comorbidity, anxiety sensitivity) and pharmacologic factors (adequacy of dose, duration, and compliance). Although it is currently difficult to predict the duration of treatment needed for an individual patient, available evidence suggests that a substantial proportion of patients may require chronic treatment for panic disorder.

Assessing the interplay of childhood adversities with more recent stressful life events and conditions in predicting panic pathology among adults from the general population.

PubMed

Asselmann, E; Stender, J; Grabe, H J; König, J; Schmidt, C O; Hamm, A O; Pané-Farré, C A

2018-01-01

Although research suggests that (a) childhood adversities and more recent stressful life events/conditions are risk factors for panic pathology and that (b) early life stress increases vulnerability to later psychopathology, it remains unclear whether childhood adversities amplify the association between more recent stressful life events/conditions and panic pathology. Data were derived from a general population sample (Study of Health in Pomerania, SHIP). Lifetime panic pathology was assessed with the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Childhood adversities (emotional, physical and sexual abuse; emotional and physical neglect) were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). More recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were assessed with the Stralsund Life Event List (SEL). Individuals with lifetime panic pathology (fearful spell, panic attack or panic disorder, N = 286) were compared to controls without any psychopathology (N = 286, matched for sex and age). Conditional logistic regressions revealed that childhood adversities as well as more recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were associated with panic pathology (OR 1.1-2.5). Moreover, more recent separation/loss events - but not long-lasting stressful conditions - interacted statistically with each of the examined childhood adversities except for sexual abuse in predicting panic pathology (OR 1.1-1.3). That is, separation/loss events were associated more strongly with panic pathology among individuals with higher childhood adversities. Data were assessed retrospectively and might be subject to recall biases. Findings suggest that early childhood adversities amplify the risk of developing panic pathology after experiencing separation or loss events. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Psychopharmacology of the anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Ballenger, J C

1984-12-01

Although anxiety is a familiar part of all our lives, pathologic anxiety states that lead to occupational and social dysfunction require medical treatment. Currently, the anxiety disorders are divided into nonphobic and phobic disorders. However, recent studies suggest that the disorders should be divided into three symptom groups: (1) generalized anxiety, (2) episodes with severe panic anxiety (panic attacks) plus generalized anxiety or even phobic avoidance, and (3) phobic anxiety and avoidance (alone, without panic attacks). This grouping is highly predictive of response to antianxiety medications. The generalized anxiety group responds well to psychosocial/psychotherapy treatments and to the antianxiety BZs. Many people with nonpanic, nonphobic (situational or generalized) anxiety only require simple psychotherapy or other nonpharmacologic methods to manage their anxiety. However, if the anxious patient is becoming dysfunctional or symptomatology is severe or persistent enough to warrant the use of medication, BZs are certainly the drugs of choice. Despite persistent public or media opinion that they are over-utilized or over-prescribed, most objective data suggest this is not the case. Most individuals for whom they are prescribed need them, use them in proper doses, and discontinue them when the indication passes. Most of the reported abuse occurs in the approximately 8 to 12 per cent who abuse other drugs, most notably alcohol. As anxiety is usually transient, BZs should be prescribed for limited periods (1 to 4 weeks) and then discontinued. This practice allows the physician to properly monitor the amount utilized and to evaluate need for continued BZs. The principal differences among the available BZs are their elimination half-lives, with some greater than 24 hours and others in the 8 to 12 hour range. Side effects are mostly mild (sedation, clumsiness) and drug-drug interactions are uncommon. Until recently, most patients suffering from disorders with panic attacks with or without phobias were either untreated or treated with long, but largely unsuccessful, treatments. Blockade of panic attacks with TCAs, MAOIs and alprazolam has dramatically improved our ability to treat these disorders, with 60 to 95 per cent of patients reporting marked alleviation of symptoms. Adequate amounts of medication and length of treatment period are the keys to successful treatment. This is a period of much productive interest and research in the anxiety disorders. Continued rapid progress in the understanding of the biologic substrates of these conditions and the development of new treatments promise much in this area of medicine in the near future.

Anxiety as a context for understanding associations between hypochondriasis, obsessive-compulsive, and panic attack symptoms.

PubMed

Longley, Susan L; Calamari, John E; Wu, Kevin; Wade, Michael

2010-12-01

In the context of the integrative model of anxiety and depression, we examined whether the essential problem of hypochondriasis is one of anxiety. When analyzed, data from a large nonclinical sample corresponded to the integrative model's characterization of anxiety as composed of both broad, shared and specific, unique symptom factors. The unique hypochondriasis, obsessive-compulsive, and panic attack symptom factors all had correlational patterns expected of anxiety with the shared, broad factors of negative emotionality and positive emotionality. A confirmatory factor analysis showed a higher-order, bifactor model was the best fit to our data; the shared and the unique hypochondriasis and anxiety symptom factors both contributed substantial variance. This study provides refinements to an empirically based taxonomy and clarifies what hypochondriasis is and, importantly, what it is not. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Panic attacks and hoarding disorder: an initial investigation.

PubMed

Raines, Amanda M; Oglesby, Mary E; Short, Nicole A; Albanese, Brian J; Schmidt, Norman B

2014-08-01

Panic attacks (PAs) defined as a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, occur in the context of numerous anxiety and mood related disorders. Research has suggested that PAs serve as a significant indicator and prognostic factor for overall symptom severity, course, and comorbidity within various conditions. Consequently, a PA specifier is now applicable to all DSM-5 disorders. Despite these clinical and nosological implications, no research to date has examined associations between PAs and hoarding disorder. The current investigation evaluated relationships between PA endorsement and hoarding severity within a sample of 32 patients with hoarding disorder. Findings suggested a high rate of panic history among those with hoarding disorder (56%). Hoarders with co-occurring PAs, compared to those without PAs, evidenced significantly higher symptom severity. Moreover, PAs continued to significantly predict hoarding severity even after controlling for relevant covariates. When examining the specific relationships among PAs and hoarding symptoms (i.e., acquiring, difficulty discarding, and clutter), the endorsement of PAs was associated with increased acquiring and difficulty discarding symptoms. These findings add considerably to a growing body of literature on hoarding disorder. Implications for the assessment and treatment of PAs that co-occur with hoarding disorder are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Triggers of acute attacks of gout, does age of gout onset matter? A primary care based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Abhishek, Abhishek; Valdes, Ana M; Jenkins, Wendy; Zhang, Weiya; Doherty, Michael

2017-01-01

To determine the proportion of people with gout who self-report triggers of acute attacks; identify the commonly reported triggers, and examine the disease and demographic features associated with self-reporting any trigger(s) of acute attacks of gout. Individuals with gout were asked to fill a questionnaire enquiring about triggers that precipitated their acute gout attacks. Binary logistic regression was used to compute odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to examine the association between having ≥1 self-reported trigger of acute gout and disease and demographic risk factors and to adjust for covariates. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA. 550 participants returned completed questionnaires. 206 (37.5%) reported at least one trigger of acute attacks, and less than 5% reported >2 triggers. Only 28.73% participants reported that their most recent gout attack was triggered by dietary or lifestyle risk factors. The most frequently self-reported triggers were alcohol intake (14.18%), red-meat or sea-food consumption (6%), dehydration (4.91%), injury or excess activity (4.91%), and excessively warm or cold weather (4.36% and 5.45%). Patients who had onset of gout before the age of 50 years were significantly more likely to identify a trigger for precipitating their acute gout attacks (aOR (95%CI) 1.73 (1.12-2.68) after adjusting for covariates. Most people with gout do not identify any triggers for acute attacks, and identifiable triggers are more common in those with young onset gout. Less than 20% people self-reported acute gout attacks from conventionally accepted triggers of gout e.g. alcohol, red-meat intake, while c.5% reported novel triggers such as dehydration, injury or physical activity, and weather extremes.

Triggers of acute attacks of gout, does age of gout onset matter? A primary care based cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Valdes, Ana M.; Jenkins, Wendy; Zhang, Weiya; Doherty, Michael

2017-01-01

Objectives To determine the proportion of people with gout who self-report triggers of acute attacks; identify the commonly reported triggers, and examine the disease and demographic features associated with self-reporting any trigger(s) of acute attacks of gout. Methods Individuals with gout were asked to fill a questionnaire enquiring about triggers that precipitated their acute gout attacks. Binary logistic regression was used to compute odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to examine the association between having ≥1 self-reported trigger of acute gout and disease and demographic risk factors and to adjust for covariates. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA. Results 550 participants returned completed questionnaires. 206 (37.5%) reported at least one trigger of acute attacks, and less than 5% reported >2 triggers. Only 28.73% participants reported that their most recent gout attack was triggered by dietary or lifestyle risk factors. The most frequently self-reported triggers were alcohol intake (14.18%), red-meat or sea-food consumption (6%), dehydration (4.91%), injury or excess activity (4.91%), and excessively warm or cold weather (4.36% and 5.45%). Patients who had onset of gout before the age of 50 years were significantly more likely to identify a trigger for precipitating their acute gout attacks (aOR (95%CI) 1.73 (1.12–2.68) after adjusting for covariates. Conclusion Most people with gout do not identify any triggers for acute attacks, and identifiable triggers are more common in those with young onset gout. Less than 20% people self-reported acute gout attacks from conventionally accepted triggers of gout e.g. alcohol, red-meat intake, while c.5% reported novel triggers such as dehydration, injury or physical activity, and weather extremes. PMID:29023487

“Nomophobia”: Impact of Cell Phone Use Interfering with Symptoms and Emotions of Individuals with Panic Disorder Compared with a Control Group

PubMed Central

King, Anna Lucia Spear; Valença, Alexandre Martins; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Sancassiani, Federica; Machado, Sergio; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2014-01-01

Panic disorder refers to the frequent and recurring acute attacks of anxiety. Objective: This study describes the routine use of mobiles phones (MPs) and investigates the appearance of possible emotional alterations or symptoms related to their use in patients with panic disorder (PD). Background: We compared patients with PD and agoraphobia being treated at the Panic and Respiration Laboratory of The Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a control group of healthy volunteers. Methods: An MP-use questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 50 patients and 70 controls. Results: People with PD showed significant increases in anxiety, tachycardia, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, panic, fear and depression related to the lack of an MP compared to the control group. Conclusions: Both groups exhibited dependence on and were comforted by having an MP; however, people with PD and agoraphobia showed significantly more emotional alterations as well as intense physical and psychological symptoms when they were apart from or unable to use an MP compared to healthy volunteers. PMID:24669231

"Nomophobia": impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.

PubMed

King, Anna Lucia Spear; Valença, Alexandre Martins; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Sancassiani, Federica; Machado, Sergio; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2014-01-01

Panic disorder refers to the frequent and recurring acute attacks of anxiety. This study describes the routine use of mobiles phones (MPs) and investigates the appearance of possible emotional alterations or symptoms related to their use in patients with panic disorder (PD). We compared patients with PD and agoraphobia being treated at the Panic and Respiration Laboratory of The Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a control group of healthy volunteers. An MP-use questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 50 patients and 70 controls. People with PD showed significant increases in anxiety, tachycardia, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, panic, fear and depression related to the lack of an MP compared to the control group. Both groups exhibited dependence on and were comforted by having an MP; however, people with PD and agoraphobia showed significantly more emotional alterations as well as intense physical and psychological symptoms when they were apart from or unable to use an MP compared to healthy volunteers.

Panic Reactivity to Voluntary Hyperventilation Challenge Predicts Distress Tolerance to Bodily Sensations among Daily Cigarette Smokers

PubMed Central

Marshall, Erin C.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Vujanovic, Anka A.; Gregor, Kristin; Gibson, Laura E.; Leyro, Teresa M.

2008-01-01

The present investigation examined the extent to which panic reactivity to bodily sensations is related to distress tolerance (DT) among daily smokers. It was hypothesized that panic reactivity to an initial voluntary hyperventilation (i.e., whether participants met criteria for a DSM-IV panic attack; PA) would predict the relative degree of task persistence on a second hyperventilation trial (DT) above and beyond the variance accounted for by anxiety sensitivity (AS), negative affectivity (NA), cigarette smoking rate, and self-reported discomfort intolerance (DI). Participants were 95 daily smokers (58% women; Mage = 29.0, SD = 12.2) who completed a battery of questionnaires and two voluntary hyperventilation procedures. Results indicated PA status significantly predicted DT, above and beyond the theoretically relevant covariates of AS, NA, cigarettes per day, and DI (p < .05). Such a result is consistent with theoretical models and empirical findings on emotional reactivity that suggest panic responsivity to internal cues may represent a key explanatory construct in terms of level of DT to interoceptive stimuli. PMID:18729685

Odor-evoked inhibition of olfactory sensory neurons drives olfactory perception in Drosophila.

PubMed

Cao, Li-Hui; Yang, Dong; Wu, Wei; Zeng, Xiankun; Jing, Bi-Yang; Li, Meng-Tong; Qin, Shanshan; Tang, Chao; Tu, Yuhai; Luo, Dong-Gen

2017-11-07

Inhibitory response occurs throughout the nervous system, including the peripheral olfactory system. While odor-evoked excitation in peripheral olfactory cells is known to encode odor information, the molecular mechanism and functional roles of odor-evoked inhibition remain largely unknown. Here, we examined Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons and found that inhibitory odors triggered outward receptor currents by reducing the constitutive activities of odorant receptors, inhibiting the basal spike firing in olfactory sensory neurons. Remarkably, this odor-evoked inhibition of olfactory sensory neurons elicited by itself a full range of olfactory behaviors from attraction to avoidance, as did odor-evoked olfactory sensory neuron excitation. These results indicated that peripheral inhibition is comparable to excitation in encoding sensory signals rather than merely regulating excitation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a bidirectional code with both odor-evoked inhibition and excitation in single olfactory sensory neurons increases the odor-coding capacity, providing a means of efficient sensory encoding.

Neurologists and the threat of bioterrorism.

PubMed

Donaghy, Michael

2006-11-01

Neurologists are most likely to become involved in primarily diagnosing those bioterrorist attacks utilising botulinum toxin. Oral ingestion, or possibly inhalation, are likely routes of delivery. The characteristic descending paralysis starts in the extraocular and bulbar muscles, with associated autonomic features. Repetitive nerve stimulation usually shows an incremental muscle response. Treatment is supportive. The differential diagnosis is from naturally occurring paralysing illnesses such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, myasthenic crisis or diphtheria, from paralysing seafood neurotoxins (tetrodotoxin, saxitoxin), snake envenomation, and from chemical warfare poisoning by organophosphates. Primary neurological infections are less feasible for use as bioweapons. There are theoretical possibilities of Venezuelan equine encephalitis transmission by inhalation and secondary zoonotic transmission cycles sustained by horses and mosquitoes. Severe haemorrhagic meningitis regularly occurs in anthrax, usually in the aftermath of severe systemic disease likely to have been transmitted by spore inhalation. Panic and psychologically determined 'me-too' symptomatology are likely to pose the biggest diagnostic and management burden on neurologists handling bioterrorist attack on an institution or a random civilian population. Indeed civilian panic and disablement of institutional operations are likely to be prominent intentions of any bioterrorist attack.

Virtual vision system with actual flavor by olfactory display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakamoto, Kunio; Kanazawa, Fumihiro

2010-11-01

The authors have researched multimedia system and support system for nursing studies on and practices of reminiscence therapy and life review therapy. The concept of the life review is presented by Butler in 1963. The process of thinking back on one's life and communicating about one's life to another person is called life review. There is a famous episode concerning the memory. It is called as Proustian effects. This effect is mentioned on the Proust's novel as an episode that a story teller reminds his old memory when he dipped a madeleine in tea. So many scientists research why smells trigger the memory. The authors pay attention to the relation between smells and memory although the reason is not evident yet. Then we have tried to add an olfactory display to the multimedia system so that the smells become a trigger of reminding buried memories. An olfactory display is a device that delivers smells to the nose. It provides us with special effects, for example to emit smell as if you were there or to give a trigger for reminding us of memories. The authors have developed a tabletop display system connected with the olfactory display. For delivering a flavor to user's nose, the system needs to recognition and measure positions of user's face and nose. In this paper, the authors describe an olfactory display which enables to detect the nose position for an effective delivery.

Impact of stressful life events on the course of panic disorder in adults.

PubMed

Moitra, Ethan; Dyck, Ingrid; Beard, Courtney; Bjornsson, Andri S; Sibrava, Nicholas J; Weisberg, Risa B; Keller, Martin B

2011-11-01

Panic disorder with/without agoraphobia (PD/PDA) is a prevalent anxiety disorder, associated with impairment in quality of life and functionality, as well as increased healthcare utilization. Extant research shows a relationship between stressful life events (SLEs) and the onset of panic attacks in adults who ultimately develop PD/PDA. However, limited attention has been paid to how SLEs might affect the severity of panic symptoms in individuals with PD/PDA. In this study, we examined the relationship between SLEs and panic symptom severity in adults with PD/PDA. Four hundred-eighteen adults with PD/PDA from the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Program (HARP), a long-term prospective longitudinal observational multicenter study of adults with a current or past history of anxiety disorders were included in this study. We examined occurrence of SLEs and their impact on panic symptom severity 12-weeks pre- and post-SLE. A time-slope effect showed that participants had worsened panic symptoms over the course of the 12-weeks after family/friends/household and work SLEs. That is, their symptoms worsened progressively after the event, rather than immediately thereafter (i.e., significant symptom change within the same week of the event). The sample may not be representative of the general population. These findings provide new insights into how SLEs affect panic symptoms in adults with PD/PDA in that household-related SLEs, such as serious family arguments, and work-related SLEs, such as being fired, put some adults at risk for worsened panic symptoms within 12-weeks of the event. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A selective, non-peptide CRF receptor 1 antagonist prevents sodium lactate-induced acute panic-like responses.

PubMed

Shekhar, Anantha; Johnson, Philip L; Fitz, Stephanie D; Nakazato, Atsuro; Chaki, Shigeyuki; Steckler, Thomas; Schmidt, Mark

2011-04-01

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is implicated in a variety of stress-related disorders such as depression and anxiety, and blocking CRF receptors is a putative strategy for treating such disorders. Using a well-studied animal model of panic, we tested the efficacy of JNJ19567470/CRA5626, a selective, non-peptidergic CRF type 1 receptor (CRF1) antagonist (3, 10 and 40 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection), in preventing the sodium lactate (NaLac)-induced panic-like behavioural and cardiovascular responses. Adult male rats with chronic reduction of GABA levels (by inhibition of GABA synthesis with l-allyglycine, a glutamic acid decarboxylase inhibitor) in the dorsomedial/perifornical hypothalamus are highly anxious and exhibit physiological and behavioural responses to intravenous NaLac infusions similar to patients with panic disorder. These 'panic-prone' rats pre-treated with vehicle injections displayed NaLac-induced increases in autonomic responses (i.e. tachycardia and hypertensive responses), anxiety-like behaviour in the social interaction test, and flight-like increases in locomotor activity. However, systemically injecting such panic-prone rats with the highest dose of CRF1 receptor antagonist prior to NaLac infusions blocked all NaLac-induced behaviour and cardiovascular responses. These data suggest that selective CRF1 receptor antagonists could be a novel target for developing anti-panic drugs that are as effective as benzodiazepines in acute treatment of a panic attack without the deleterious side-effects (e.g. sedation and cognitive impairment) associated with benzodiazepines.

Alteration of brain activation patterns in nonallergic rhinitis patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment with intranasal azelastine.

PubMed

Bernstein, Jonathan A; Hastings, Lloyd; Boespflug, Erin L; Allendorfer, Jane B; Lamy, Martine; Eliassen, James C

2011-06-01

Although nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) patients tend to be more sensitive to chemical/olfactory stimuli, a suprathreshold olfactory response or the presence of specific olfactory receptor genes do not explain why their symptoms are triggered by such exposures. To investigate differential neurogenic responses to azelastine in NAR patients, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in response to specific olfactory triggers. A longitudinal study design on 12 subjects with a physician diagnosis of NAR previously demonstrated to be clinically responsive to intranasal azelastine (Astelin) was performed. Subjects underwent fMRI during exposure to unpleasant (hickory smoke) and pleasant (vanilla) odorants while off and then on azelastine for 2 weeks. The olfactory fMRI paradigm consisted of a visually triggered sniff every 21 seconds with synchronized delivery of a 4 second pulse of odorant. Each odorant was presented 18 times over 4-6-minute fMRI runs. Continuous fresh air was presented to wash out each odorant after presentation. Nonallergic rhinitis patients exhibited increased blood flow to several regions of the brain in response to both pleasant and unpleasant odorants, specifically in odor-sensitive regions, while off intranasal azelastine. Treatment with intranasal azelastine significantly attenuated blood flow to regions of the brain relevant to either olfactory sensation or sensory processing in response to these odorants compared with fresh air. The general reduction compared with increase in brain activation in NAR patients on versus off azelastine suggests that a possible effect of this medication may be reduction of brain responses to odorants. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

"Epileptosis"--a syndrome or useless speculation?

PubMed

Faber, J; Vladyka, V; Dufková, D; Faltus, F; Jirák, R; Pavlovský, P; Smídová, E; Zvolský, P; Zukov, I; Klár, I; Posmurová, M; Srutová, L

1996-01-01

102 patients were divided into 3 groups: epileptics, psychotics and epileptics with psychotic symptoms. All had long been monitored for a number of clinical and laboratory parameters. Though different in many respects, all share states of sudden dysphoria, cacophoria, panic anxiety, horror, and EEG (stereo-EEG, too) signs of epileptic or other gross anomalies, often correlated to those affective disorders. Attacks of dysphoria, epilepsy, and psychosis come spontaneously and in response to biological (hypoglycemia, sleep deprivation, alcohol, menses) or psychosocial stimulation (agitation, quarrels, fear of redundancy, psychic trauma). These states (attacks, dysphoria, "neurotic" or even psychotic episodes) often provoke one another. -Calling this syndrome epileptosis, we believe its mechanism is due to lesions of the limbic and brainstem modulation systems. At the start of the process there is an epileptic focus in the amygdalo-hippocampal complex (AHC) which in itself can trigger simple or complex partial paroxysm but also-by means of electric stimulation of the AHC-states of dysphoria, anxiety, and psychotic hallucinations. Besides, a form of pathological learning develops in premorbid "hypersensitive" personality which can be put down to associative learning and to Overton's phenomenon of "state-dependent retention of learned responses". This may give rise to mutual stimulation where epileptic focal activity in AHC can provoke dysphoria while an external psychosocial situation can trigger epileptic activity there, too (AHC). Since there need not always be mydriasis (though other vegetative signs such as tachycardia, tachypnoea, nausea, blush and others are frequent) or unconsciousness, and some psychomotor manifestations may be out of the ordinary, and scalp EEG may be normal, such patients are often regarded as "hysterics" or malingerers.

Odorant Inhibition of the Olfactory Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channel with a Native Molecular Assembly

PubMed Central

Chen, Tsung-Yu; Takeuchi, Hiroko; Kurahashi, Takashi

2006-01-01

Human olfaction comprises the opposing actions of excitation and inhibition triggered by odorant molecules. In olfactory receptor neurons, odorant molecules not only trigger a G-protein–coupled signaling cascade but also generate various mechanisms to fine tune the odorant-induced current, including a low-selective odorant inhibition of the olfactory signal. This wide-range olfactory inhibition has been suggested to be at the level of ion channels, but definitive evidence is not available. Here, we report that the cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channel, which is a key element that converts odorant stimuli into electrical signals, is inhibited by structurally unrelated odorants, consistent with the expression of wide-range olfactory inhibition. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect was small in the homo-oligomeric CNG channel composed only of the principal channel subunit, CNGA2, but became larger in channels consisting of multiple types of subunits. However, even in the channel containing all native subunits, the potency of the suppression on the cloned CNG channel appeared to be smaller than that previously shown in native olfactory neurons. Nonetheless, our results further showed that odorant suppressions are small in native neurons if the subsequent molecular steps mediated by Ca2+ are removed. Thus, the present work also suggests that CNG channels switch on and off the olfactory signaling pathway, and that the on and off signals may both be amplified by the subsequent olfactory signaling steps. PMID:16940558

Visual and olfactory disruption of orientation by the western pine beetle to attractant-baited traps

Treesearch

B.L. Strom; R.A. Goyer; P.J. Shea

2001-01-01

Olfactory deterrents have been proposed as tree protectants against attack by bark beetles, but their development has been hindered by a lack of knowledge of host selection behavior. Among the primary tree-killing (aggressive) Dendroctonus, vision appears to be an integral part of the host selection process. We evaluated the importance of vision in...

Impact of childhood trauma on course of panic disorder: contribution of clinical and personality characteristics.

PubMed

De Venter, M; Van Den Eede, F; Pattyn, T; Wouters, K; Veltman, D J; Penninx, B W J H; Sabbe, B G

2017-06-01

To investigate the impact of childhood trauma on the clinical course of panic disorder and possible contributing factors. Longitudinal data of 539 participants with a current panic disorder were collected from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Childhood trauma was assessed with a structured interview and clinical course after 2 years with a DSM-IV-based diagnostic interview and the Life Chart Interview. At baseline, 54.5% reported childhood trauma, but this was not predictive of persistence of panic disorder. Emotional neglect and psychological abuse were associated with higher occurrence of anxiety disorders other than panic disorder (social phobia) and with higher chronicity of general anxiety symptoms (anxiety attacks or episodes and avoidance). Baseline clinical features (duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms) and personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) accounted for roughly 30-60% of the total effect of childhood trauma on chronicity of anxiety symptoms and on occurrence of other anxiety disorders. After two years, childhood trauma is associated with chronicity of anxiety symptoms and occurrence of social phobia, rather than persistence of panic disorder. These relationships are partially accounted for by duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and neuroticism and extraversion. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Depersonalization and individualism: the effect of culture on symptom profiles in panic disorder.

PubMed

Sierra-Siegert, Mauricio; David, Anthony S

2007-12-01

It has been proposed that highly individualistic cultures confer vulnerability to depersonalization. To test this idea, we carried out a comprehensive systematic review of published empirical studies on panic disorder, which reported the frequency of depersonalization/derealization during panic attacks. It was predicted that the frequency of depersonalization would be higher in Western cultures and that a significant correlation would be found between the frequency of depersonalization and individualism scores of the participant countries. As predicted, the frequency of depersonalization during panic was significantly lower in nonwestern countries. There was also a significant correlation between frequency of depersonalization and Individualism (rho = 0.68, p < 0.0001), and between fears of losing control (rho = 0.57, p = 0.005) and individualism. These findings are interpreted in light of recent studies suggesting that individualistic cultures are characterized by hypersensitivity to threat and by an external locus of control. Two features may be relevant in the genesis of depersonalization.

Novel Psychological Formulation and Treatment of "Tic Attacks" in Tourette Syndrome.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally; Hedderly, Tammy

2016-01-01

One important, but underreported, phenomenon in Tourette syndrome (TS) is the occurrence of "tic attacks." These episodes have been described at conferences as sudden bouts of tics and/or functional tic-like movements, lasting from 15 min to several hours. They have also been described by patients in online TS communities. To date, there are no reports of tic attacks in the literature. The aim of this article is to stimulate discussion and inform clinical practices by describing the clinical presentation of 12 children (mean age 11 years and 3 months; SD = 2 years and 4 months) with TS and tic attacks, with a detailed case report for one case (13-year-old male). These children commonly present acutely to casualty departments and undergo unnecessary medical investigations. Interestingly, all children reported comorbid anxiety, with worries about the tics themselves and an increased internal focus of attention on tics once the attacks had started. In keeping with other children, the index case reported a strong internal focus of attention, with a relationship between physiological sensations/tic urges, worries about having tic attacks, and behavioral responses (e.g., body scanning, situational avoidance, and other responses). In our experience, the attacks reduce with psychological therapy, for example, the index case attended 13 sessions of therapy that included metacognitive and attention training techniques, as well as cognitive-behavioral strategies. Following treatment, an improvement was seen across a range of measures assessing tics, mood, anxiety, and quality of life. Thus, psychological techniques used to treat anxiety disorders are effective at supporting a reduction in tic attacks through modifying attention, worry processes, and negative beliefs. It is hypothesized that an attentional style of threat monitoring, difficulties tolerating internal sensory urges, cognitive misattributions, and maladaptive coping strategies contribute to the onset and maintenance of tic attacks. These cases provide support for the view that tic attacks are triggered and maintained by psychological factors, thereby challenging the view that tic attacks merely reflect extended bouts of tics. As such, we propose that the movements seen in tic attacks may resemble a combination of tics and functional neurological movements, with tic attacks reflecting episodes of panic and anxiety for individuals with TS.

The association of panic and hyperventilation with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Indranada, Alaric M; Mullen, Saul A; Duncan, Roderick; Berlowitz, David J; Kanaan, Richard A A

2018-07-01

Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) are events that appear epileptic but are instead thought to have a psychological origin. Increased rates of several psychiatric disorders have been reported in PNES, including anxiety and panic disorders. Some theories suggest panic and/or hyperventilation have aetiological roles in PNES, though these remain unproven. We conducted a systematic review of associations of panic and hyperventilation with PNES using Ovid Medline and PubMed, and a meta-analysis where appropriate. We found eighteen studies reporting rates of panic in PNES and eight studies reporting hyperventilation. The reported rate of panic attacks in PNES ranged from 17% to 83%, with physical symptoms more commonly reported, and affective symptoms less so. 'Dizziness or light-headedness' was found to be more prevalent than 'fear of dying' by random-effects meta-analysis (68% vs. 23%). A proportion meta-analysis found a weighted occurrence of 20% of panic disorder in PNES. A pooled meta-analytic rate of PNES events following voluntary hyperventilation induction was 30%, while the clinically observed rates of peri-ictal hyperventilation in PNES without induction varied from 15 to 46%. Previous studies have reported moderate rates of association of panic in PNES, though the proportions varied considerably across the literature, with physical symptoms more commonly reported than affective. Hyperventilation is an effective inducer of PNES events in a minority, and can be observed occurring in a minority of patients without induction. These results support an important, albeit not essential, role for panic and hyperventilation in the pathogenesis of PNES events. Copyright © 2018 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Rodent-versus-wild Snake Paradigm as a Model for Studying Anxiety- and Panic-like Behaviors: Face, Construct and Predictive Validities.

PubMed

Paschoalin-Maurin, Tatiana; Dos Anjos-Garcia, Tayllon; Falconi-Sobrinho, Luiz Luciano; de Freitas, Renato Leonardo; Coimbra, Jade Pissamiglio Cysne; Laure, Carlos Júlio; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2018-01-15

Using an innovative approach to study the neural bases of psychiatric disorders, this study investigated the behavioral, morphological and pharmacological bases of panic attack-induced responses in a prey-versus-coral snake paradigm. Mesocricetus auratus was chronically treated with intraperitoneal administration of the selective serotonin uptake inhibitor paroxetine or the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)/benzodiazepine receptor agonist alprazolam at three different doses and were then confronted with a venomous coral snake (Micrurus frontalis, Reptilia, Elapidae). The threatened rodents exhibited defensive attention, flat back approaches, defensive immobility, and escape defensive responses in the presence of the venomous snake, followed by increases in Fos protein in limbic structure neurons. Chronic administration of both paroxetine and alprazolam decreased these responses with morphological correlates between the panicolytic effect of both drugs administered at the highest dose and decreases in Fos protein-immunolabeled perikarya found in the amygdaloid complex, hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray matter columns, which are structures that make up the encephalic aversion system. These findings provide face, construct and predictive validities of this new experimental model of anxiety- and panic attack-like behavioral responses displayed by threatened prey confronted with venomous coral snakes. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased Opioid Dependence in a Mouse Model of Panic Disorder

PubMed Central

Gallego, Xavier; Murtra, Patricia; Zamalloa, Teresa; Canals, Josep Maria; Pineda, Joseba; Amador-Arjona, Alejandro; Maldonado, Rafael; Dierssen, Mara

2009-01-01

Panic disorder is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder that shows co-occurrence with substance abuse. Here, we demonstrate that TrkC, the high-affinity receptor for neurotrophin-3, is a key molecule involved in panic disorder and opiate dependence, using a transgenic mouse model (TgNTRK3). Constitutive TrkC overexpression in TgNTRK3 mice dramatically alters spontaneous firing rates of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons and the response of the noradrenergic system to chronic opiate exposure, possibly related to the altered regulation of neurotrophic peptides observed. Notably, TgNTRK3 LC neurons showed an increased firing rate in saline-treated conditions and profound abnormalities in their response to met5-enkephalin. Behaviorally, chronic morphine administration induced a significantly increased withdrawal syndrome in TgNTRK3 mice. In conclusion, we show here that the NT-3/TrkC system is an important regulator of neuronal firing in LC and could contribute to the adaptations of the noradrenergic system in response to chronic opiate exposure. Moreover, our results indicate that TrkC is involved in the molecular and cellular changes in noradrenergic neurons underlying both panic attacks and opiate dependence and support a functional endogenous opioid deficit in panic disorder patients. PMID:20204153

INTERACTION BETWEEN DELTA OPIOID RECEPTORS AND BENZODIAZEPINES IN CO2- INDUCED RESPIRATORY RESPONSES IN MICE

PubMed Central

Borkowski, Anne H.; Barnes, Dylan C.; Blanchette, Derek R.; Castellanos, F. Xavier; Klein, Donald F.; Wilson, Donald A.

2011-01-01

The false-suffocation hypothesis of panic disorder (Klein, 1993) suggested δ-opioid receptors as a possible source of the respiratory dysfunction manifested in panic attacks occurring in panic disorder (Preter and Klein, 2008). This study sought to determine if a lack of δ-opioid receptors in a mouse model affects respiratory response to elevated CO2, and whether the response is modulated by benzodiazepines, which are widely used to treat panic disorder. In a whole-body plethysmograph, respiratory responses to 5% CO2 were compared between δ-opioid receptor knockout mice and wild-type mice after saline, diazepam (1 mg/kg), and alprazolam (0.3 mg/kg) injection. The results show that lack of δ-opioid receptors does not affect normal response to elevated CO2, but does prevent benzodiazepines from modulating that response. Thus, in the presence of benzodiazepine agonists, respiratory responses to elevated CO2 were enhanced in δ-opioid receptor knockout mice compared to wild-type mice. This suggests an interplay between benzodiazepine receptors and δ-opioid receptors in regulating the respiratory effects of elevated CO2, which might be related to CO2 induced panic. PMID:21561601

Novel Psychological Formulation and Treatment of “Tic Attacks” in Tourette Syndrome

PubMed Central

Robinson, Sally; Hedderly, Tammy

2016-01-01

One important, but underreported, phenomenon in Tourette syndrome (TS) is the occurrence of “tic attacks.” These episodes have been described at conferences as sudden bouts of tics and/or functional tic-like movements, lasting from 15 min to several hours. They have also been described by patients in online TS communities. To date, there are no reports of tic attacks in the literature. The aim of this article is to stimulate discussion and inform clinical practices by describing the clinical presentation of 12 children (mean age 11 years and 3 months; SD = 2 years and 4 months) with TS and tic attacks, with a detailed case report for one case (13-year-old male). These children commonly present acutely to casualty departments and undergo unnecessary medical investigations. Interestingly, all children reported comorbid anxiety, with worries about the tics themselves and an increased internal focus of attention on tics once the attacks had started. In keeping with other children, the index case reported a strong internal focus of attention, with a relationship between physiological sensations/tic urges, worries about having tic attacks, and behavioral responses (e.g., body scanning, situational avoidance, and other responses). In our experience, the attacks reduce with psychological therapy, for example, the index case attended 13 sessions of therapy that included metacognitive and attention training techniques, as well as cognitive–behavioral strategies. Following treatment, an improvement was seen across a range of measures assessing tics, mood, anxiety, and quality of life. Thus, psychological techniques used to treat anxiety disorders are effective at supporting a reduction in tic attacks through modifying attention, worry processes, and negative beliefs. It is hypothesized that an attentional style of threat monitoring, difficulties tolerating internal sensory urges, cognitive misattributions, and maladaptive coping strategies contribute to the onset and maintenance of tic attacks. These cases provide support for the view that tic attacks are triggered and maintained by psychological factors, thereby challenging the view that tic attacks merely reflect extended bouts of tics. As such, we propose that the movements seen in tic attacks may resemble a combination of tics and functional neurological movements, with tic attacks reflecting episodes of panic and anxiety for individuals with TS. PMID:27242975

Differences in mental health outcomes by acculturation status following a major urban disaster.

PubMed

Adams, Richard E; Boscarino, Joseph A

2013-01-01

A number of studies have assessed the association between acculturation and psychological outcomes following a traumatic event. Some suggest that low acculturation is associated with poorer health outcomes, while others show no differences or that low acculturation is associated with better outcomes. One year after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, we surveyed a multi-ethnic population of New York City adults (N= 2,368). We assessed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, panic attack, anxiety symptoms, and general physical and mental health status. We classified study respondents into "low," "moderate," or "high" acculturation, based on survey responses. Bivariate results indicated that low acculturation individuals were more likely to experience negative life events, have low social support, and less likely to have pre-disaster mental health disorders. Those in the low acculturation group were also more likely to experience post-disaster perievent panic attacks, have higher anxiety, and have poorer mental health status. However, using logistic regression to control for confounding, and adjusting for multiple comparisons, we found that none of these outcomes were associated with acculturation status. Thus, our study suggests that acculturation was not associated with mental health outcomes following a major traumatic event.

Novel investigational therapeutics for panic disorder.

PubMed

Perna, Giampaolo; Schruers, Koen; Alciati, Alessandra; Caldirola, Daniela

2015-04-01

Panic disorder (PD) is a common disabling anxiety disorder associated with relevant social costs. Effective anti-panic medications exist but have several drawbacks. From a clinical perspective, there is still a strong unmet need for more effective, faster acting and more tolerable therapeutic treatments. The authors review the available results on novel mechanism-based anti-panic drugs that are under investigation in animal studies up to Phase II studies. The preclinical studies investigated include: the modulators of the glutamate/orexin/cannabinoid systems, corticotrophin-releasing factor 1 (CRF1)/arginine vasopressine V₁B/angiotensin II receptor antagonists and neuropeptide S. The Phase I/II studies investigated include: the modulators of the glutamate system, isoxazoline derivative, translocator protein (18 kDa) ligands and CRF1/neurokinin receptor antagonists. There has been little progress in recent times. However, glutamate- and orexin-related molecular targets may represent very promising opportunities for treating panic attacks. Very preliminary findings suggest that the antagonists of CRF1 and A-II receptors may have anti-panic properties. However, new medications for PD are far from being implemented in clinical use. The reasons are multiple, including: the heterogeneity of the disorder, the translational validity of animal models and the insufficient use of biomarkers in preclinical/clinical studies. Nevertheless, biomarker-based strategies, pharmacogenomics, 'personalized psychiatry' and the NIH's Research Domain Criteria approach could help to remove those obstacles limiting drug development.

Simulating dynamical features of escape panic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbing, Dirk; Farkas, Illés; Vicsek, Tamás

2000-09-01

One of the most disastrous forms of collective human behaviour is the kind of crowd stampede induced by panic, often leading to fatalities as people are crushed or trampled. Sometimes this behaviour is triggered in life-threatening situations such as fires in crowded buildings; at other times, stampedes can arise during the rush for seats or seemingly without cause. Although engineers are finding ways to alleviate the scale of such disasters, their frequency seems to be increasing with the number and size of mass events. But systematic studies of panic behaviour and quantitative theories capable of predicting such crowd dynamics are rare. Here we use a model of pedestrian behaviour to investigate the mechanisms of (and preconditions for) panic and jamming by uncoordinated motion in crowds. Our simulations suggest practical ways to prevent dangerous crowd pressures. Moreover, we find an optimal strategy for escape from a smoke-filled room, involving a mixture of individualistic behaviour and collective `herding' instinct.

Intimate Partner Violence and Welfare Participation: A Longitudinal Causal Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Tyrone C.

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study examined the temporal-ordered causal relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV), five mental disorders (depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic attack, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), alcohol abuse/dependence, drug abuse/ dependence, treatment seeking (from physician, counselor, and…

Development of social anxiety disorder secondary to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (the developmental hypothesis).

PubMed

Koyuncu, Ahmet; Alkın, Tunç; Tükel, Raşit

2018-04-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) may develop secondary to childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) in a subgroup of the patients with SAD. Patients pass through a number of identifiable stages of developmental pathways to SAD as they grow up. Patients with ADHD have maladaptive behaviours in social settings due to the symptoms of ADHD. These behaviours are criticized by their parents and social circle; they receive insults, humiliation and bullying. After each aversive incident, the individual feels shame and guilt. A vicious cycle emerges. The patients then develop social fears and a cognitive inhibition that occurs in social situations. The inhibition increases gradually as the fear persists and the individual becomes withdrawn. Patients start to monitor themselves and to focus on others' feedback. Finally, performative social situations become extremely stimulating for them and may trigger anxiety/panic attacks. If this hypothesis is proven, treatment of 'patients with SAD secondary to ADHD' should focus on the primary disease. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Main and Interactive Effects of Emotion Dysregulation and Breath-Holding Duration in Relation to Panic-Relevant Fear and Expectancies about Anxiety-Related Sensations among Adult Daily Smokers

PubMed Central

Brandt, Charles P.; Johnson, Kirsten A.; Schmidt, Norman B.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The current study investigated the main and interactive effects of emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance in relation to panic-relevant variables among daily smokers. The sample consisted of 172 adults (61.2% male; Mage = 31.58, SD = 11.51), who reported smoking an average of 15.99 cigarettes per day (SD = 10.00). Results indicated that both emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance were significantly related to interoceptive fear and agoraphobia. Additionally, emotion dysregulation, but not distress tolerance, was significantly related to anxiety sensitivity. All effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by average cigarettes per day, tobacco-related physical illness, and panic attack history. The interaction between emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance significantly predicted interoceptive and agoraphobic fears as well as the cognitive component of anxiety sensitivity. Such findings underscore the importance of emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance in regard to panic-specific fear and expectancies about anxiety-related sensations among daily smokers. PMID:22119451

Main and interactive effects of emotion dysregulation and breath-holding duration in relation to panic-relevant fear and expectancies about anxiety-related sensations among adult daily smokers.

PubMed

Brandt, Charles P; Johnson, Kirsten A; Schmidt, Norman B; Zvolensky, Michael J

2012-01-01

The current study investigated the main and interactive effects of emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance in relation to panic-relevant variables among daily smokers. The sample consisted of 172 adults (61.2% male; M(age)=31.58, SD=11.51), who reported smoking an average of 15.99 cigarettes per day (SD=10.00). Results indicated that both emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance were significantly related to interoceptive fear and agoraphobia. Additionally, emotion dysregulation, but not distress tolerance, was significantly related to anxiety sensitivity. All effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by average cigarettes per day, tobacco-related physical illness, and panic attack history. The interaction between emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance significantly predicted interoceptive and agoraphobic fears as well as the cognitive component of anxiety sensitivity. Such findings underscore the importance of emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance in regard to panic-specific fear and expectancies about anxiety-related sensations among daily smokers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden and Distress in Caregivers of Patients With Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia.

PubMed

Borgo, Evandro Luis Pampani; Ramos-Cerqueira, Ana Teresa de Abreu; Torres, Albina Rodrigues

2017-01-01

We estimated the prevalence, severity, and correlates of burden and distress in caregivers of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia. The instruments used in this cross-sectional study with 40 caregivers and 40 outpatients were Carer Burden Interview (CBI), Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS-BR), Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ), Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), and Mini-international Neuropsychiatric Interview. Bivariate analyses were followed by regression analyses. The patients' mean PAS score was 29.6, and the mean scores in the caregivers' burden scales were 27 (CBI) and 1.64 (FBIS-BR). Distress (or common mental disorder [CMD]) occurred in 37.5% and was associated with higher burden. In the multivariate analysis, the SRQ score was predicted by female sex and worse self-evaluation of health, the CBI score by CMD and public service, the FBIS-BR score by CMD and not living with the patient, the FBIS-objective score by CMD and being employed, the FBIS-subjective score by CMD, and the level of worry by the severity of patients' avoidance and panic attacks.

The Interaction of Nicotine Withdrawal and Panic Disorder in the Prediction of Panic-relevant Responding to a Biological Challenge

PubMed Central

Leyro, Teresa M.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2013-01-01

The current investigation evaluated nicotine withdrawal symptoms elicited by 12 hours of smoking deprivation on anxious and fearful responding to bodily sensations among daily smokers with and without Panic Disorder (PD). It was hypothesized that smokers with PD who were experiencing greater levels of nicotine withdrawal would experience the greatest levels of fearful responding to, and delayed recovery from, a 10% carbon dioxide-enriched air (CO2) biological challenge procedure. Participants were 58 adults who reported smoking 19.72 cigarettes daily (SD = 7.99). Results indicated that nicotine withdrawal and PD status interacted to predict greater post-challenge panic attack symptoms. Also, individuals with PD initially evidenced a quicker decrease in subjective anxiety following the challenge, but their rate of recovery decelerated over time as compared to those without PD. There was, however, no significant interaction for change in subjective anxiety pre- to post-challenge. Results are discussed in relation to the role of nicotine withdrawal in anxious and fearful responding for smokers with PD. PMID:22867297

The interaction of nicotine withdrawal and panic disorder in the prediction of panic-relevant responding to a biological challenge.

PubMed

Leyro, Teresa M; Zvolensky, Michael J

2013-03-01

The current investigation evaluated nicotine withdrawal symptoms elicited by 12 hours of smoking deprivation on anxious and fearful responding to bodily sensations among daily smokers with and without panic disorder (PD). It was hypothesized that smokers with PD who were experiencing greater levels of nicotine withdrawal would experience the greatest levels of fearful responding to, and delayed recovery from, a 10% carbon dioxide-enriched air (CO₂) biological challenge procedure. Participants were 58 adults who reported smoking 19.72 cigarettes daily (SD = 7.99). Results indicated that nicotine withdrawal and PD status interacted to predict greater postchallenge panic attack symptoms. Also, individuals with PD initially evidenced a quicker decrease in subjective anxiety following the challenge, but their rate of recovery decelerated over time as compared to those without PD. There was, however, no significant interaction for change in subjective anxiety pre- to postchallenge. Results are discussed in relation to the role of nicotine withdrawal in anxious and fearful responding for smokers with PD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Schizophrenia dissection by five anxiety and depressive subtype comorbidities: Clinical implications and evolutionary perspective.

PubMed

Veras, André B; Cougo, Simone; Meira, Fernanda; Peixoto, Clayton; Barros, Jorge A; Nardi, Antonio E; Malaspina, Dolores; Poyurovsky, Michael; Kahn, Jeffrey P

2017-11-01

Twenty patients with DSM5 schizophrenia were comprehensively and formally assessed by an experienced psychiatrist. All subjects were assessed for: positive and negative psychotic symptoms; social anxiety; panic anxiety; obsessive compulsive disorder, atypical depression; major depression; suicide risk; and global assessment of functioning. Different profiles of clinical presentation and symptom evolution emerged for patients with schizophrenia who had co-morbid depression (15%), OCD (15%), panic or limited symptom attacks (55%) and social anxiety (5%). At least eighty percent of the sample had one or more of these co-morbidities. Summing up, the data support our previous finding that panic is highly prevalent in Schizophrenia with Auditory Hallucinations (>73% here, versus 100% before), and panic was paroxysmally concurrent with voice onset. Moreover, characteristic clinical findings may help point clinicians to five specific co-morbidity psychosis subtypes. Moreover, co-morbidity dissection of psychotic diagnoses recalls and parallels the historical psychopharmacologic dissection of non-psychotic anxiety and depressive subtypes diagnoses. Larger studies should further test and explore these preliminary findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neck-focused panic attacks among Cambodian refugees; a logistic and linear regression analysis.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Chhean, Dara; Pich, Vuth; Um, Khin; Fama, Jeanne M; Pollack, Mark H

2006-01-01

Consecutive Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic were assessed for the presence and severity of current--i.e., at least one episode in the last month--neck-focused panic. Among the whole sample (N=130), in a logistic regression analysis, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; odds ratio=3.70) and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS; odds ratio=2.61) significantly predicted the presence of current neck panic (NP). Among the neck panic patients (N=60), in the linear regression analysis, NP severity was significantly predicted by NP-associated flashbacks (beta=.42), NP-associated catastrophic cognitions (beta=.22), and CAPS score (beta=.28). Further analysis revealed the effect of the CAPS score to be significantly mediated (Sobel test [Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173-1182]) by both NP-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions. In the care of traumatized Cambodian refugees, NP severity, as well as NP-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions, should be specifically assessed and treated.

Sex Differences in Response to an Observational Fear Conditioning Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Megan M.; Forsyth, John P.

2007-01-01

The present study evaluated sex differences in observational fear conditioning using modeled ''mock'' panic attacks as an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Fifty-nine carefully prescreened healthy undergraduate participants (30 women) underwent 3 consecutive differential conditioning phases: habituation, acquisition, and extinction. It was expected…

Autonomic changes after treatment of agoraphobia with panic attacks.

PubMed

Roth, W T; Telch, M J; Taylor, C B; Agras, W S

1988-04-01

Twenty-three patients meeting DSM-III criteria for agoraphobia with panic attacks and 14 age-, race-, and sex-matched nonanxious controls were tested in the laboratory and on a test walk in a shopping mall. The patients were tested before and after about 15 weeks of treatment with placebo and exposure therapy, imipramine and exposure therapy, or imipramine and initial antiexposure instructions. Controls were tested twice at a similar interval, but without any treatment. On test day 1, patients compared to controls showed higher average heart rate and skin conductance levels and greater numbers of skin conductance fluctuations in the laboratory, and higher heart rates before and during the test walk. Between pretreatment and posttreatment tests, clinical ratings improved and skin conductance levels decreased in all treatment groups. Heart rate levels in the laboratory, on the other hand, decreased in patients on placebo and rose in patients on imipramine. Thus, imipramine compromises the usefulness of heart rate as a measure of emotional arousal. Higher pretreatment heart rates predicted greater clinical improvement.

In-situation safety behaviors among patients with panic disorder: descriptive and correlational study.

PubMed

Funayama, Tadashi; Furukawa, Toshi A; Nakano, Yumi; Noda, Yumiko; Ogawa, Sei; Watanabe, Norio; Chen, Junwen; Noguchi, Yuka

2013-07-01

In-situation safety behaviors play an important role in the maintenance of anxiety because they prevent patients from experiencing unambiguous disconfirmation of their unrealistic beliefs about feared catastrophes. Strategies for identifying particular safety behaviors, however, have not been sufficiently investigated. The aims of the present study were to (i) develop a comprehensive list of safety behaviors seen in panic disorder and to examine their frequency; and (ii) correlate the safety behaviors with panic attack symptoms, agoraphobic situations and treatment response. The subjects consisted of 46 consecutive patients who participated in group cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for panic disorder. All the patients completed a Safety Behavior List that was developed based on experiences with panic disorder patients. Carrying medications, distracting attention, carrying a plastic bottle, and drinking water were reported by more than half of the patients. The strongest correlations between panic symptoms and safety behaviors were found between symptoms of derealization and listening to music with headphones, paresthesia and pushing a cart while shopping, and nausea and squatting down. The strongest association between agoraphobic situations and safety behaviors was found between the fear of taking a bus or a train alone and moving around. Staying still predicted response to the CBT program, while concentrating on something predicted lack of response. An approximate guideline has been developed for identifying safety behaviors among patients with panic disorder and should help clinicians use CBT more effectively for these patients. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Innate Predator Odor Aversion Driven by Parallel Olfactory Subsystems that Converge in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus

PubMed Central

Pérez-Gómez, Anabel; Bleymehl, Katherin; Stein, Benjamin; Pyrski, Martina; Birnbaumer, Lutz; Munger, Steven D.; Leinders-Zufall, Trese; Zufall, Frank; Chamero, Pablo

2015-01-01

Summary The existence of innate predator aversion evoked by predator-derived chemostimuli called kairomones offers a strong selective advantage for potential prey animals. However, it is unclear how chemically-diverse kairomones can elicit similar avoidance behaviors. Using a combination of behavioral analyses and single-cell Ca2+ imaging in wild-type and gene-targeted mice, we show that innate predator-evoked avoidance is driven by parallel, non-redundant processing of volatile and nonvolatile kairomones through the activation of multiple olfactory subsystems including the Grueneberg ganglion, the vomeronasal organ, and chemosensory neurons within the main olfactory epithelium. Perturbation of chemosensory responses in specific subsystems through disruption of genes encoding key sensory transduction proteins (Cnga3, Gnao1) or by surgical axotomy abolished avoidance behaviors and/or cellular Ca2+ responses to different predator odors. Stimulation of these different subsystems resulted in the activation of widely distributed target regions in the olfactory bulb, as assessed by c-Fos expression. However, in each case this c-Fos increase was observed within the same subnuclei of the medial amygdala and ventromedial hypothalamus, regions implicated in fear, anxiety and defensive behaviors. Thus, the mammalian olfactory system has evolved multiple, parallel mechanisms for kairomone detection that converge in the brain to facilitate a common behavioral response. Our findings provide significant insights into the genetic substrates and circuit logic of predator-driven, innate aversion and may serve as a valuable model for studying instinctive fear [1] and human emotional and panic disorders [2, 3]. PMID:25936549

Innate Predator Odor Aversion Driven by Parallel Olfactory Subsystems that Converge in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus.

PubMed

Pérez-Gómez, Anabel; Bleymehl, Katherin; Stein, Benjamin; Pyrski, Martina; Birnbaumer, Lutz; Munger, Steven D; Leinders-Zufall, Trese; Zufall, Frank; Chamero, Pablo

2015-05-18

The existence of innate predator aversion evoked by predator-derived chemostimuli called kairomones offers a strong selective advantage for potential prey animals. However, it is unclear how chemically diverse kairomones can elicit similar avoidance behaviors. Using a combination of behavioral analyses and single-cell Ca(2+) imaging in wild-type and gene-targeted mice, we show that innate predator-evoked avoidance is driven by parallel, non-redundant processing of volatile and nonvolatile kairomones through the activation of multiple olfactory subsystems including the Grueneberg ganglion, the vomeronasal organ, and chemosensory neurons within the main olfactory epithelium. Perturbation of chemosensory responses in specific subsystems through disruption of genes encoding key sensory transduction proteins (Cnga3, Gnao1) or by surgical axotomy abolished avoidance behaviors and/or cellular Ca(2+) responses to different predator odors. Stimulation of these different subsystems resulted in the activation of widely distributed target regions in the olfactory bulb, as assessed by c-Fos expression. However, in each case, this c-Fos increase was observed within the same subnuclei of the medial amygdala and ventromedial hypothalamus, regions implicated in fear, anxiety, and defensive behaviors. Thus, the mammalian olfactory system has evolved multiple, parallel mechanisms for kairomone detection that converge in the brain to facilitate a common behavioral response. Our findings provide significant insights into the genetic substrates and circuit logic of predator-driven innate aversion and may serve as a valuable model for studying instinctive fear and human emotional and panic disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A clinical study of autogenic training-based behavioral treatment for panic disorder.

PubMed

Sakai, M

1996-03-01

The present study investigated the effect of autogenic training-based behavioral treatment for panic disorder and identified the predictors of treatment outcome. Thirty-four patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder received autogenic training-based behavioral treatment from October 1981 to December 1994. They were treated individually by the author. The medical records of the patients were investigated for the purpose of this study. The results showed that this autogenic training-based behavioral treatment had successful results. Fifteen patients were cured, nine much improved, five improved, and five unchanged at the end of the treatment. Improvement trends were found as for the severity of panic attack and the severity of agoraphobic avoidance. No consistent findings about predictors emerged when such pretreatment variables as demographics and severity of symptoms were used to predict the outcome. Also, three treatment variables showed useful predictive power. First, practicing the second standard autogenic training exercise satisfactorily predicted better outcomes. Second, application of in vivo exposure was found to be positively associated with the treatment outcome in patients with agoraphobic avoidance. Third, longer treatment periods were associated with better outcomes. These findings suggested that the autogenic training-based behavioral treatment could provide relief to the majority of panic disorder patients.

An Attempt to Target Anxiety Sensitivity via Cognitive Bias Modification

PubMed Central

Clerkin, Elise M.; Beard, Courtney; Fisher, Christopher R.; Schofield, Casey A

2015-01-01

Our goals in the present study were to test an adaptation of a Cognitive Bias Modification program to reduce anxiety sensitivity, and to evaluate the causal relationships between interpretation bias of physiological cues, anxiety sensitivity, and anxiety and avoidance associated with interoceptive exposures. Participants with elevated anxiety sensitivity who endorsed having a panic attack or limited symptom attack were randomly assigned to either an Interpretation Modification Program (IMP; n = 33) or a Control (n = 32) condition. During interpretation modification training (via the Word Sentence Association Paradigm), participants read short sentences describing ambiguous panic-relevant physiological and cognitive symptoms and were trained to endorse benign interpretations and reject threatening interpretations associated with these cues. Compared to the Control condition, IMP training successfully increased endorsements of benign interpretations and decreased endorsements of threatening interpretations at visit 2. Although self-reported anxiety sensitivity decreased from pre-selection to visit 1 and from visit 1 to visit 2, the reduction was not larger for the experimental versus control condition. Further, participants in IMP (vs. Control) training did not experience less anxiety and avoidance associated with interoceptive exposures. In fact, there was some evidence that those in the Control condition experienced less avoidance following training. Potential explanations for the null findings, including problems with the benign panic-relevant stimuli and limitations with the control condition, are discussed. PMID:25692491

An attempt to target anxiety sensitivity via cognitive bias modification.

PubMed

Clerkin, Elise M; Beard, Courtney; Fisher, Christopher R; Schofield, Casey A

2015-01-01

Our goals in the present study were to test an adaptation of a Cognitive Bias Modification program to reduce anxiety sensitivity, and to evaluate the causal relationships between interpretation bias of physiological cues, anxiety sensitivity, and anxiety and avoidance associated with interoceptive exposures. Participants with elevated anxiety sensitivity who endorsed having a panic attack or limited symptom attack were randomly assigned to either an Interpretation Modification Program (IMP; n = 33) or a Control (n = 32) condition. During interpretation modification training (via the Word Sentence Association Paradigm), participants read short sentences describing ambiguous panic-relevant physiological and cognitive symptoms and were trained to endorse benign interpretations and reject threatening interpretations associated with these cues. Compared to the Control condition, IMP training successfully increased endorsements of benign interpretations and decreased endorsements of threatening interpretations at visit 2. Although self-reported anxiety sensitivity decreased from pre-selection to visit 1 and from visit 1 to visit 2, the reduction was not larger for the experimental versus control condition. Further, participants in IMP (vs. Control) training did not experience less anxiety and avoidance associated with interoceptive exposures. In fact, there was some evidence that those in the Control condition experienced less avoidance following training. Potential explanations for the null findings, including problems with the benign panic-relevant stimuli and limitations with the control condition, are discussed.

Efficacy of a specific model for cognitive-behavioral therapy among panic disorder patients with agoraphobia: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

King, Anna Lucia Spear; Valença, Alexandre Martins; de Melo-Neto, Valfrido Leão; Freire, Rafael Christophe; Mezzasalma, Marco André; Silva, Adriana Cardoso de Oliveira e; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2011-01-01

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is frequently indicated for panic disorder. The aim here was to evaluate the efficacy of a model for cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating panic disorder with agoraphobia. Randomized clinical trial at Instituto de Psiquiatria da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. A group of 50 patients with a diagnosis of panic disorder with agoraphobia was randomized into two groups to receive: a) cognitive-behavioral therapy with medication; or b) medication (tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Although there was no difference between the groups after the treatment in relation to almost all variables with the exception of some items of the Sheehan disability scale and the psychosocial and environmental problems scale, the patients who received the specific therapy presented significant reductions in panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety, agoraphobia avoidance and fear of body sensations at the end of the study, in relation to the group without the therapy. On the overall functioning assessment scale, overall wellbeing increased from 60.8% to 72.5% among the patients in the group with therapy, thus differing from the group without therapy. Although both groups responded to the treatment and improved, we only observed significant differences between the interventions on some scales. The association between specific cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on somatic complaints and pharmacological treatment was effective among this sample of patients with panic disorder and the response was similar in the group with pharmacological treatment alone.

Anticipating agoraphobic situations: the neural correlates of panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Wittmann, A; Schlagenhauf, F; Guhn, A; Lueken, U; Gaehlsdorf, C; Stoy, M; Bermpohl, F; Fydrich, T; Pfleiderer, B; Bruhn, H; Gerlach, A L; Kircher, T; Straube, B; Wittchen, H-U; Arolt, V; Heinz, A; Ströhle, A

2014-08-01

Panic disorder with agoraphobia is characterized by panic attacks and anxiety in situations where escape might be difficult. However, neuroimaging studies specifically focusing on agoraphobia are rare. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with disorder-specific stimuli to investigate the neural substrates of agoraphobia. We compared the neural activations of 72 patients suffering from panic disorder with agoraphobia with 72 matched healthy control subjects in a 3-T fMRI study. To isolate agoraphobia-specific alterations we tested the effects of the anticipation and perception of an agoraphobia-specific stimulus set. During fMRI, 48 agoraphobia-specific and 48 neutral pictures were randomly presented with and without anticipatory stimulus indicating the content of the subsequent pictures (Westphal paradigm). During the anticipation of agoraphobia-specific pictures, stronger activations were found in the bilateral ventral striatum and left insula in patients compared with controls. There were no group differences during the perception phase of agoraphobia-specific pictures. This study revealed stronger region-specific activations in patients suffering from panic disorder with agoraphobia in anticipation of agoraphobia-specific stimuli. Patients seem to process these stimuli more intensively based on individual salience. Hyperactivation of the ventral striatum and insula when anticipating agoraphobia-specific situations might be a central neurofunctional correlate of agoraphobia. Knowledge about the neural correlates of anticipatory and perceptual processes regarding agoraphobic situations will help to optimize and evaluate treatments, such as exposure therapy, in patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia.

Olfactory mechanisms in the control of maternal aggression, appetite, and fearfulness: effects of lesions to olfactory receptors, mediodorsal thalamic nucleus, and insular prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Ferreira, A; Dahlöf, L G; Hansen, S

1987-10-01

During lactation the female rat is hyperphagic, aggressive toward adult conspecifics, and less fearful than usual. In the first experiment the importance of olfactory receptors was investigated by surgically removing the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity. Mother rats subjected to this treatment consumed significantly less food and weighed less than sham-operated females. Moreover, experimental subjects displayed a dramatic decrease in maternal aggression. Fear behavior (sound-elicited freezing), on the other hand, was not affected by the lesions. The mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and the prefrontal insular cortex form part of the central olfactory system. The second experiment assessed the involvement of this olfactory-related thalamocortical system and the behavioral profile of mother rats. It was found that whereas the thalamic and cortical lesions left food intake and fear behavior unaffected, they significantly decreased the frequency with which the mother would attack an intruder male placed into her home cage. The sense of smell appears, according to the present experiments, to play a crucial role in maternal aggression.

Anosmia: Differential diagnosis, evaluation, and management.

PubMed

Scangas, George A; Bleier, Benjamin S

2017-01-01

The ability to scrutinize our surroundings remains heavily dependent on the sense of smell. From the ability to detect dangerous situations such as fires to the recollection of a fond memory triggered by an odor, the advantages of an intact olfactory system cannot be overstated. Outcomes studies have highlighted the profound negative impact of anosmia and parosmia on the overall quality of life. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that ∼1.4% of the United States population experiences chronic olfactory dysfunction and smell loss. Efforts have focused on improving both the diagnosis of olfactory dysfunction through olfactory testing and improved reporting of treatment outcomes of olfactory training. The purpose of this article was to review the differential diagnosis, workup, and current treatment strategies of anosmia and smell disorders.

Cyclic-nucleotide–gated cation current and Ca2+-activated Cl current elicited by odorant in vertebrate olfactory receptor neurons

PubMed Central

Li, Rong-Chang; Ben-Chaim, Yair; Yau, King-Wai; Lin, Chih-Chun

2016-01-01

Olfactory transduction in vertebrate olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) involves primarily a cAMP-signaling cascade that leads to the opening of cyclic-nucleotide–gated (CNG), nonselective cation channels. The consequent Ca2+ influx triggers adaptation but also signal amplification, the latter by opening a Ca2+-activated Cl channel (ANO2) to elicit, unusually, an inward Cl current. Hence the olfactory response has inward CNG and Cl components that are in rapid succession and not easily separable. We report here success in quantitatively separating these two currents with respect to amplitude and time course over a broad range of odorant strengths. Importantly, we found that the Cl current is the predominant component throughout the olfactory dose–response relation, down to the threshold of signaling to the brain. This observation is very surprising given a recent report by others that the olfactory-signal amplification effected by the Ca2+-activated Cl current does not influence the behavioral olfactory threshold in mice. PMID:27647918

A review of self-management interventions for panic disorders, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

PubMed

Barlow, J H; Ellard, D R; Hainsworth, J M; Jones, F R; Fisher, A

2005-04-01

To review current evidence for the clinical and cost-effectiveness of self-management interventions for panic disorder, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Papers were identified through computerized searches of databases for the years between 1995 and 2003, manual searches and personal contacts. Only randomized-controlled trials were reviewed. Ten studies were identified (one OCD, five panic disorder, four phobias). Effective self-management interventions included cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and exposure to the trigger stimuli for phobias and panic disorders. All involved homework. There was evidence of effectiveness in terms of improved symptoms and psychological wellbeing when compared with standard care, waiting list or relaxation. Brief interventions and computer-based interventions were effective for most participants. In terms of quality, studies were mainly based on small samples, lacked long-term follow-up, and failed to address cost-effectiveness. Despite the limitations of reviewed studies, there appears to be sufficient evidence to warrant greater exploration of self-management in these disorders. Copyright 2005 Blackwell Munksgaard.

Rapid modification in the olfactory signal of ants following a change in reproductive status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuvillier-Hot, Virginie; Renault, Valérie; Peeters, Christian

2005-02-01

In insect societies, the presence and condition of egg-layers can be assessed with pheromones. Exocrine secretions are expected to vary in time in order to give up-to-date information on an individual’s reproductive physiology. In the queenless monogynous ant Streblognathus peetersi, we allowed a previously infertile high-ranking worker to accede to the alpha rank, thus triggering the onset of her oogenesis (15 replicates). We then studied her interactions with an established egg-layer from the same colony after different durations, ranging from 20 h to several days. Even though her eggs are only ready to be laid after 30 days, the new alpha was recognised within 1 2 days. Detection occurred at a distance of a few millimetres, suggesting the involvement of a pheromone with low volatility, such as cuticular hydrocarbons. When the new alpha had differentiated for >48 h, she was attacked by the established egg-layer. In all cases, low-ranking workers eventually immobilised one of the two alphas: the new alpha was the target if she had differentiated only recently, suggesting that police workers select the dominant worker with the “less fertile” odour. Using the behaviour of ants as our measure, we demonstrate that a dominant’s olfactory signal changes rapidly with a modification in her social status, and it occurs well before the onset of egg-laying.

The differences between patients with panic disorder and healthy controls in psychophysiological stress profile.

PubMed

Kotianova, Antonia; Kotian, Michal; Slepecky, Milos; Chupacova, Michaela; Prasko, Jan; Tonhajzerova, Ingrid

2018-01-01

Alarming somatic symptoms, in particular, cardiovascular symptoms, are the characteristic feature of panic attacks. Increased cardiac mortality and morbidity have been found in these patients. Power spectral analysis of electrocardiogram R-R intervals is known to be a particularly successful tool in the detection of autonomic instabilities in various clinical disorders. Our study aimed to compare patients with panic disorder and healthy controls in heart rate variation (HRV) parameters (very-low-frequency [VLF], low-frequency [LF], and high-frequency [HF] band components of R-R interval) in baseline and during the response to the mental task. We assessed psychophysiological variables in 33 patients with panic disorder (10 men, 23 women; mean age 35.9±10.7 years) and 33 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (10 men, 23 women; mean age 35.8±12.1 years). Patients were treatment naïve. Heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and HRV in basal conditions and after the psychological task were assessed. Power spectrum was computed for VLF (0.003-0.04 Hz), LF (0.04-0.15 Hz), and HF (0.15-0.40 Hz) bands using fast Fourier transformation. In the baseline period, the VLF band was significantly lower in panic disorder group compared to controls ( p <0.005). In the period of mental task, the LF/HF ratio was significantly higher in panic disorder patients compared to controls ( p <0.05). No significant differences were found in the remaining parameters. There was a significant difference in ΔHF and ΔLF/HF ratio between patients and controls, with Δ increasing in patients and decreasing in controls. These findings revealed that patients suffering from panic disorder were characterized by relative sympathetic dominance (reactivity) in response to mental stress compared with healthy controls.

Daily maternal separations during stress hyporesponsive period decrease the thresholds of panic-like behaviors to electrical stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal gray of the adult rat.

PubMed

Borges-Aguiar, Ana Cristina; Schauffer, Luana Zanoni; de Kloet, Edo Ronald; Schenberg, Luiz Carlos

2018-05-15

The present study examined whether early life maternal separation (MS), a model of childhood separation anxiety, predisposes to panic at adulthood. For this purpose, male pups were submitted to 3-h daily maternal separations along postnatal (PN) days of either the 'stress hyporesponsive period' (SHRP) from PN4 to PN14 (MS11) or throughout lactation from PN2 to PN21 (MS20). Pups were further reunited to conscious (CM) or anesthetized (AM) mothers to assess the effect of mother-pup interaction upon reunion. Controls were subjected to brief handling (15 s) once a day throughout lactation (BH20). As adults (PN60), rats were tested for the thresholds to evoke panic-like behaviors upon electrical stimulation of dorsal periaqueductal gray matter and exposed to an elevated plus-maze, an open-field, a forced swim and a sucrose preference test. A factor analysis was also performed to gain insight into the meaning of behavioral tests. MS11-CM rather than MS20-CM rats showed enhanced panic responses and reductions in both swimming and sucrose preference. Panic facilitations were less intense in mother-neglected rats. Although MS did not affect anxiety, MS11-AM showed robust reductions of defecation in an open-field. Factor analysis singled out anxiety, hedonia, exploration, coping and gut activity. Although sucrose preference and coping loaded on separate factors, appetite (adult weight) correlated with active coping in both forced swim and open-field (central area exploration). Concluding, whereas 3h-daily maternal separations during SHRP increased rat's susceptibility to experimental panic attacks, separations throughout lactation had no effects on panic and enhanced active coping. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards improved migraine management: Determining potential trigger factors in individual patients.

PubMed

Peris, Francesc; Donoghue, Stephen; Torres, Ferran; Mian, Alec; Wöber, Christian

2017-04-01

Background Certain chronic diseases such as migraine result in episodic, debilitating attacks for which neither cause nor timing is well understood. Historically, possible triggers were identified through analysis of aggregated data from populations of patients. However, triggers common in populations may not be wholly responsible for an individual's attacks. To explore this hypothesis we developed a method to identify individual 'potential trigger' profiles and analysed the degree of inter-individual variation. Methods We applied N = 1 statistical analysis to a 326-migraine-patient database from a study in which patients used paper-based diaries for 90 days to track 33 factors (potential triggers or premonitory symptoms) associated with their migraine attacks. For each patient, univariate associations between factors and migraine events were analysed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results We generated individual factor-attack association profiles for 87% of the patients. The average number of factors associated with attacks was four per patient: Factor profiles were highly individual and were unique in 85% of patients with at least one identified association. Conclusion Accurate identification of individual factor-attack profiles is a prerequisite for testing which are true triggers and for development of trigger avoidance or desensitisation strategies. Our methodology represents a necessary development toward this goal.

Treatment-resistant panic disorder: a systematic review.

PubMed

Freire, Rafael C; Zugliani, Morena M; Garcia, Rafael F; Nardi, Antonio E

2016-01-01

The prevalence of panic disorder (PD) in the population is high and these patients have work impairment, high unemployment rates, seek medical treatment more frequently and have more hospitalizations than people without panic symptoms. Despite the availability of pharmacological, psychological and combined treatments, approximately one-third of all PD patients have persistent panic attacks and other PD symptoms after treatment. MEDLINE/Pubmed, CENTRAL, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases were searched for clinical trials in treatment-resistant PD. Only studies published between 1980 and 2015, in English, with human subjects, considered "journal articles" and clinical trial were included. We included trials recruiting only adult subjects with treatment-resistant PD, consistent with criteria from DSM-III to DSM5. We included all prospective experimental studies. Case, case series, retrospective studies or studies with <10 PD subjects were not included. Only 11 articles were included in this review. There were few quality studies, only two were randomized, controlled and double blind. Augmentation of the pharmacological treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy demonstrated some short-term efficacy in treatment-resistant PD. There were also preliminary evidences of efficacy for monotherapy with reboxetine and olanzapine, and augmentation with pindolol, divalproex sodium, aripiprazole and olanzapine in short-term treatment.

A synopsis of original research projects published in scientific database in the Russian Federation.

PubMed

Smirnova, Daria; Pavlichenko, Alexey; Karpenko, Olga; Schmeleva, Liubov; Morozov, Petr

2015-06-01

The article describes the current state of scientific publications in the field of psychiatry in the Russian Federation. Issues of academic dissertations, lack of access to recent Russian language research in foreign databases, and recent reforms in the Ministry of Education and Science for overcoming these limitations are discussed in detail. Four exemplary dissertation studies published in Russian language are summarized. The first research examines the contribution of patient's verbal behavior to the reliable diagnosis of mild depression, identifying objective signs for distinguishing it from normal sadness; the mood component influenced the whole mental status and was represented in both structure and semantics of patients' speech. The second paper describes the course of panic disorder with agoraphobia, with the notable results that debut of panic disorder with full-blown panic attacks, often declines to a second accompanied with agoraphobia, which after several years gives way to limited symptom attacks and decreased agoraphobic avoidance. The third study describes the high prevalence of affective and anxiety disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2, and the role of personality traits in adherence to treatment in patients with poor glucose control. The fourth project uses functional MRI for probing the features of neuronal resting-state networks in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy; the association with affective symptoms provides a model for investigating the pathophysiology of mood disorder. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nightmares and panic disorder associated with carvedilol overdose.

PubMed

Maebara, Chiharu; Ohtani, Hisakazu; Sugahara, Hideyo; Mine, Kazunori; Kubo, Chiharu; Sawada, Yasufumi

2002-11-01

To report a case of nightmares and sleep disorder associated with improper use of carvedilol, an alpha/beta-blocker, and to model the time course of receptor occupancy in this patient. A 41-year-old man with panic disorder had been treated with alprazolam 1.2 mg/d (3 times daily), carvedilol 10 mg/d (once in the morning), and etizolam 0.5 mg (for anxiety attack). Although the physical and psychological symptoms gradually improved, he reported nightmares and panic attacks. An interview revealed that he had been taking carvedilol 5 mg twice a day after lunch and dinner on his own initiative, in addition to the prescribed dosage. The patient was asked to take carvedilol 10 mg only after breakfast, as had been advised. Consequently, the sleep disorder and nightmares disappeared. We calculated the time courses of beta(2)-adrenoceptor binding occupancy in the central nervous system after oral administration of carvedilol with the ordinary and improper regimens by using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters obtained from the literature. Compared with the ordinary dose of carvedilol 10 mg once a day, the improper regimen (10 mg after breakfast followed by 5 mg after lunch and dinner) increases the beta(2)-adrenoceptor binding occupancy at night (2300) to as high as the mean beta(2)-adrenoceptor binding occupancy after an ordinary dose of propranolol. The sleep disorder and nightmares experienced by this patient had been induced by elevation of central beta(2)-adrenoceptor binding occupancy at night as the result of improper use of carvedilol.

A controlled trial of internet-based cognitive-behavioural therapy for panic disorder with face-to-face support from a general practitioner or email support from a psychologist

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Panic disorder (PD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders seen in general practice, but provision of evidence-based cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) is rare. Many Australian GPs are now trained to deliver focused psychological strategies, but in practice this is time consuming and costly. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based CBT intervention (Panic Online) for the treatment of PD supported by general practitioner (GP)-delivered therapeutic assistance. Design Panic Online supported by GP-delivered face-to-face therapy was compared to Panic Online supported by psychologist-delivered email therapy. Methods Sixty-five people with a primary diagnosis of PD (78% of whom also had agoraphobia) completed 12 weeks of therapy using Panic Online and therapeutic assistance with his/her GP (n = 34) or a clinical psychologist (n = 31). The mean duration of PD for participants allocated to these groups was 59 months and 58 months, respectively. Participants completed a clinical diagnostic interview delivered by a psychologist via telephone and questionnaires to assess panic-related symptoms, before and after treatment. Results The total attrition rate was 20%, with no group differences in attrition frequency. Both treatments led to significant improvements in panic attack frequency, depression, anxiety, stress, anxiety sensitivity and quality of life. There were no statistically significant differences in the two treatments on any of these measures, or in the frequency of participants with clinically significant PD at post assessment. Conclusions When provided with accessible online treatment protocols, GPs trained to deliver focused psychological strategies can achieve patient outcomes comparable to efficacious treatments delivered by clinical psychologists. The findings of this research provide a model for how GPs may be assisted to provide evidence-based mental healthcare successfully. PMID:22477844

Anxiety disorders: diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Jack, R A; Mathew, R J

1985-07-01

Pathologic anxiety, marked by inappropriate apprehension and/or fear, causes patients to seek help. Anxiety is associated with a wide variety of physical illnesses, and these must be initially considered when making a diagnosis. Similarly, anxiety associated with a wide variety of psychiatric syndromes must also be considered. Finally, the possibility of transient situational anxiety is ever present. Once it is determined that a primary anxiety disorder exists, then the presence or absence of phobias, panic attacks, and chronic "free-floating" anxiety will fully characterize the disorder. With an accurate diagnosis in hand, a multifaceted treatment approach can be designed. Effective treatments now exist for phobic and panic disorders, and more effective treatment for chronic generalized anxiety may be forthcoming.

Anxiety sensitivity among Cambodian refugees with panic disorder: A factor analytic investigation.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Pich, Vuth; Safren, Steven A; Pollack, Mark H; McNally, Richard J

2006-01-01

Among Cambodian refugees with panic disorder (N = 208), we performed two factor analyses, one with the ASI, another with an Augmented ASI (consisting of the 16-item ASI supplemented with a 9-item addendum that assesses additional Cambodian concerns about anxiety-related sensations). The principal component analysis of the ASI yielded a 3-factor solution (I, "Weak Heart Concerns"; II, "Social Concerns"; III, "Control Concerns"); the Augmented ASI, a 4-factor solution: I, "Wind Attack Concerns"; II, "Weak Heart Concerns"; III, "Social Concerns"; and IV, "Control Concerns." The item clustering within the factor solution of both the ASI and Augmented ASI illustrates the role of cultural syndromes in generating fear of mental and bodily events.

Emotionally triggered asthma and its relationship to panic disorder, ataques de nervios, and asthma-related death of a loved one in Latino adults.

PubMed

Vazquez, Karinna; Sandler, Jonathan; Interian, Alejandro; Feldman, Jonathan M

2017-02-01

Research has demonstrated high comorbidity between asthma and panic disorder (PD). Less is known about the relationship between asthma and the Latino cultural idiom of distress of ataques de nervios, as well as the role that psychosocial stressors play. The current study tested the hypotheses that Latino asthma patients who experience PD, ataques de nervios, and/or asthma-related death of a loved one endorse greater psychological triggers of asthma, greater perceived impact of asthma triggers, and greater difficulty controlling such triggers than do those without these conditions. Data originated from an interview conducted prior to a randomized controlled trial in which 292 Latino adults with self-reported asthma were recruited from outpatient clinics in the Bronx, NY. The PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) was used to screen for PD symptoms, while the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) was used to confirm diagnosis of PD. Lifetime history of ataques de nervios and asthma-related death of a loved one were based upon self-report. Asthma triggers were examined using the Asthma Trigger Inventory (ATI). PD, ataques de nervios, and asthma-related death of a loved one each predicted a higher frequency of psychological asthma triggers, controlling for gender and comorbid medical conditions. Participants with PD also reported greater impact of asthma triggers than those without PD, while no significant differences in perceived control were observed. Providers should screen for PD, ataques de nervios, and asthma-related death of a loved one in Latino asthma patients, given their observed association with emotionally triggered asthma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotionally Triggered Asthma and its Relationship to Panic Disorder, Ataques de Nervios, and Asthma-Related Death of a Loved One in Latino Adults

PubMed Central

Vazquez, Karinna; Sandler, Jonathan; Interian, Alejandro; Feldman, Jonathan M.

2016-01-01

Objective Research has demonstrated high comorbidity between asthma and panic disorder (PD). Less is known about the relationship between asthma and the Latino cultural idiom of distress of ataques de nervios, as well as the role that psychosocial stressors play. The current study tested the hypotheses that Latino asthma patients who experience PD, ataques de nervios, and/or asthma-related death of a loved one endorse greater psychological triggers of asthma, greater perceived impact of asthma triggers, and greater difficulty controlling such triggers than do those without these conditions. Methods Data originated from an interview conducted prior to a randomized controlled trial in which 292 Latino adults with self-reported asthma were recruited from outpatient clinics in the Bronx, NY. The PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) was used to screen for PD symptoms, while the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) was used to confirm diagnosis of PD. Lifetime history of ataques de nervios and asthma-related death of a loved one were based upon self-report. Asthma triggers were examined using the Asthma Trigger Inventory (ATI). Results PD, ataques de nervios, and asthma-related death of a loved one each predicted a higher frequency of psychological asthma triggers, controlling for gender and comorbid medical conditions. Participants with PD also reported greater impact of asthma triggers than those without PD, while no significant differences in perceived control were observed. Conclusion Providers should screen for PD, ataques de nervios, and asthma-related death of a loved one in Latino asthma patients, given their observed association with emotionally triggered asthma. PMID:28107897

Posttraumatic stress and tendency to panic in the aftermath of the chlorine gas disaster in Graniteville, South Carolina.

PubMed

Ginsberg, Jay P; Holbrook, Joseph R; Chanda, Debjani; Bao, Haikun; Svendsen, Erik R

2012-09-01

Relatively little is known about psychological effects of environmental hazard disasters. This study examines the development of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and tendency to limited panic attack after a large chlorine spill in a community. In January 2005, a large chlorine spill occurred in Graniteville, SC. Acute injuries were quantified on an ordinal severity scale. Eight to ten months later, participating victims completed the Short Screening Scale for PTSD (n = 225) and the Holden Psychological Screening Inventory (HPSI) (n = 193) as part of a public health intervention. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity were likewise measured via spirometry. Two sets of univariate logistic regression models were fit to detect independent effects of each potential covariate and risk factor on PTS score and tendency to panic. A supplemental analysis examined whether poor lung function may be a confounder and/or effect modifier of the effect of acute injury on PTS score and panic. Of those who completed psychological screening, 36.9% exhibited PTS symptoms. FEV(1), acute injury, and the HPSI psychiatric subscale were independently associated with increased PTS score. Acute injury severity scale and female sex were associated with tendency to panic. Immediate acute injury severity and poor lung function later were independently associated with PTS symptomotology. The high prevalence of PTS and endorsement of tendency to panic within our sample show a need for mental health treatment after a chemical hazard disaster. Mental health personnel should be considerate of those with serious physical injuries.

Neuropsychological Construct Structure of a Brief Computerized Neuropsychological Battery: Windows Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool (WinSCAT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-08

active, or widespread skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis or a bad sunburn, you will not be able to participate in the study. If you have a history...the following health conditions?" Flashbacks/ PTSD _Panic Attacks/Disorder _Schizophrenia _Anxiety/Depression _Substance Abuse _Bipolar Disorder/Manic

College Students' Hypothetical Responses to Suicidal Individuals Who Are HIV Positive, Substance Abusing, Depressed, or Anxious.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neal, Steven E.; Range, Lillian M.

1993-01-01

Undergraduates (n=141) read vignette about suicidal person with either Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, depression, drug abuse, anxiety, or adjustment problems. Found that suicidal person who was human immunodeficiency virus-positive engendered significantly less helpful responses from students than did suicidal person who had panic attacks.…

10 Ways to Find More Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitch, Chris

2008-01-01

There are two ways to avoid time-crunch panic attacks: work smarter and delegate wisely. In this article, the author provides a list of some strategies and tactics he has used to help more than 500 school executives in North Carolina work smarter, delegate more effectively and become more effective instructional leaders. These strategies fall into…

Pedagogical Professionalism and Gender in Daycare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmerman, Greetje; Schreuder, Pauline

2008-01-01

In the Netherlands, moral panic about boys' education and behavioural problems has led to public concern about the almost exclusively female environment in which young boys in daycare find themselves. Female daycare workers are attacked for creating a feminized culture in daycare centres. In this article we explore the extent to which these media…

A Serious Cause of Panic Attack

PubMed Central

O'Connell, Michael; Bernard, Aaron

2012-01-01

We report on a case of a patient with atrial fibrillation in the setting of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The patient underwent synchronized electrical cardioversion, typically considered safe and effective, which resulted in a dangerous complication for the patient (degeneration into ventricular fibrillation). Discussion of common rhythm disturbances in WPW and management strategies are reviewed. PMID:23326712

Analysis of the influence location of the fiber optic sensor on the measurement and determination the heart rate of the human body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedoma, Jan; Fajkus, Marcel; Martinek, Radek; Cubik, Jakub; Kepak, Stanislav; Vanus, Jan; Zboril, Ondrej; Vasinek, Vladimir

2017-10-01

Authors of this article focused on the analysis of the influence location of the fiber-optic sensor on the measurement and determination the heart rate of the human body. The sensor uses a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) and is encapsulated in the polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The combination of fiber-optic technology and its encapsulation in a polymer PDMS allows the use of the sensor e.g. in magnetic resonance environments (MRI). Among currently solved doctors requirements belongs field focusing on the study of hyperventilation and panic attacks of patients during MRI examination due to their very frequent occurrence. Proposed FBG sensor can help doctors to predict (based on heart rate) hyperventilation and panic attacks of patients during MRI examinations. For the most accurate determination of the heart rate, it is necessary to know the influence location of the sensor on the human body. The sensor functionality and analysis of the sensor placement on the heart rate has been verified by a series of real experimental measurements of test subjects in laboratory environment.

Associations between serotonin-related gene polymorphisms and panic disorder.

PubMed

Maron, Eduard; Lang, Aavo; Tasa, Gunnar; Liivlaid, Liivi; Tõru, Innar; Must, Anne; Vasar, Veiko; Shlik, Jakov

2005-06-01

Studies suggest that vulnerability to panic attacks and panic disorder (PD) may be related to a deficient serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission. In the present case-control study we investigated possible associations between PD phenotype and five candidate polymorphisms including 5-HT transporter (5-HTTLPR and VNTR), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA promoter region), tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1 218A/C) and 5-HT1B receptor (5-HT1BR 861G/C) genes. The study sample consisted of 158 patients with PD and 215 healthy control subjects. The analysis showed higher frequencies of LL genotype (p = 0.016) and L allele variant (p = 0.007) of 5-HTTLPR in the patients. No significant associations were observed between PD and other candidate gene polymorphisms. However, a higher frequency of longer allele genotypes of the MAOA promoter region was observed in female PD patients with agoraphobia than in female controls (p = 0.016). These findings indicate that genetic variants conceivably related to lower 5-HT neurotransmission may be involved in the development of PD.

Respiratory physiology and pathological anxiety.

PubMed

Gorman, J M; Uy, J

1987-11-01

There has been comparatively little attention paid to the respiratory derangements in anxiety disorders. Some authorities contend, however, that indices of respiratory function may be the best objective marker of anxiety state. Furthermore, an understanding of the ventilatory status of patients with anxiety disorder has shed light on the basic pathophysiology of abnormal anxiety. For example, it is now clear that patients with a wide variety of anxiety disorders hyperventilate both chronically and acutely. Therefore, we present an explanation of the physiological changes produced by hyperventilation. In order to further study ventilatory physiology in patients with anxiety disorder, our group and others have used the carbon dioxide challenge test. The data from these experiments suggest that patients with panic disorder are hypersensitive to carbon dioxide and that carbon dioxide inhalation induces panic attacks in susceptible patients. Hyperventilation appears to be a secondary, but pathophysiologically important, event in the generation of acute panic. The implications of work in respiratory physiology for clinical management of patients with anxiety disorder are discussed.

Temporal Stability of Multiple Response Systems to 7.5% Carbon Dioxide Challenge

PubMed Central

Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Gorlin, Eugenia I.; Beadel, Jessica R.; Cash, Therese; Vrana, Scott; Teachman, Bethany A.

2017-01-01

Self-reported anxiety, and potentially physiological response, to maintained inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2) enriched air shows promise as a putative marker of panic reactivity and vulnerability. Temporal stability of response systems during low-dose, steady-state CO2 breathing challenge is lacking. Outcomes on multiple levels were measured two times, one week apart, in 93 individuals. Stability was highest during the CO2 breathing phase compared to pre-CO2 and recovery phases, with anxiety ratings, respiratory rate, skin conductance level, and heart rate demonstrating good to excellent temporal stability (ICCs ≥ 0.71). Cognitive symptoms tied to panic were somewhat less stable (ICC = 0.58) than physical symptoms (ICC = 0.74) during CO2 breathing. Escape/avoidance behaviors and DSM-5 panic attacks were not stable. Large effect sizes between task phases also were observed. Overall, results suggest good-excellent levels of temporal stability for multiple outcomes during respiratory stimulation via 7.5% CO2. PMID:28163046

Cross-national Epidemiology of Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks in the World Mental Health Surveys

PubMed Central

de Jonge, Peter; Roest, Annelieke M.; Lim, Carmen C.W.; Florescu, Silvia E.; Bromet, Evelyn; Stein, Dan; Harris, Meredith; Nakov, Vladimir; Caldas-de-Almeida, Jose Miguel; Levinson, Daphna; Al-Hamzawi, Ali O.; Haro, Josep Maria; Viana, Maria Carmen; Borges, Gui; O’Neill, Siobhan; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Demyttenaere, Koen; Gureje, Oye; Iwata, Noboru; Lee, Sing; Hu, Chiyi; Karam, Aimee; Moskalewicz, Jacek; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Navarro-Mateu, Fernando; Browne, Mark Oakley; Piazza, Maria; Posada-Villa, José; Torres, Yolanda; ten Have, Margreet L.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Scott, Kate M.

2016-01-01

Context The scarcity of cross-national reports and the changes in DSM-5 regarding panic disorder (PD) and panic attacks (PAs) call for new epidemiological data on PD and PAs and its subtypes in the general population. Objective To present representative data about the cross-national epidemiology of PD and PAs in accordance with DSM-5 definitions. Design and Setting Nationally representative cross-sectional surveys using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0. Participants Respondents (n=142,949) from 25 high, middle and lower-middle income countries across the world aged 18 years or older. Main Outcome Measures PD and presence of single and recurrent PAs. Results Lifetime prevalence of PAs was 13.2% (s.e. 0.1%). Among persons that ever had a PA, the majority had recurrent PAs (66.5%; s.e. 0.5%), while only 12.8% fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for PD. Recurrent PAs were associated with a subsequent onset of a variety of mental disorders (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.8–2.2) and their course (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.2–2.4) whereas single PAs were not (OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.9–1.3 and OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.6–0.8). Cross-national lifetime prevalence estimates were 1.7% (s.e. 0.0%) for PD with a median age of onset of 32 (IQR 20–47). Some 80.4% of persons with lifetime PD had a lifetime comorbid mental disorder. Conclusions We extended previous epidemiological data to a cross-national context. The presence of recurrent PAs in particular is associated with subsequent onset and course of mental disorders beyond agoraphobia and PD, and might serve as a generic risk marker for psychopathology. PMID:27775828

Making and Keeping Friends: A Self-Help Guide. Recovering Your Mental Health Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, Mary Ellen

People seem to have a natural need for friends. Friends increase enjoyment of life, relieve feelings of loneliness, and can help reduce stress and improve ones health. Having good friends is especially helpful when one is going through any kind of hard time: experiencing anxiety or panic attacks; depression, phobias, or delusional thinking; living…

It's Not Your Heart: Group Treatment for Non-Cardiac Chest Pain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Sherry M.

2011-01-01

This article presents a brief group psychoeducational treatment for non-cardiac chest pain, supplemented with a composite case study. Patients present to emergency rooms for chest pain they believe is a heart attack symptom. When cardiac testing is negative, this pain is usually a panic symptom, often occurring with a cluster of other panic…

Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and Posttraumatic Headache

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

A D Award Number: W81XWH-14-1-0573 TITLE: Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and Posttraumatic Headache...DATES COVERED 30 Sep 2015 - 20 Jun 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and...terminated. 8. SUBJECT TERMS Post-traumatic headache, chronic migraine , PET, fMRI 9. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 10. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU 11

Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and Posttraumatic Headache

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

A D Award Number: W81XWH-14-1-0574 TITLE: Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and Posttraumatic Headache...2015 - 20 Jun 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Clinical Characterization and Imaging of Triggered Attacks in Chronic Migraine and Posttraumatic Headache...traumatic headache, chronic migraine , PET, fMRI 9. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 10. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU 11. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a NAME OF

Differential behavioral sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation in rats

PubMed Central

Winter, Andrew; Ahlbrand, Rebecca; Naik, Devanshi; Sah, Renu

2017-01-01

Inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2) is frequently employed as a biological challenge to evoke intense fear and anxiety. In individuals with panic disorder, CO2 reliably evokes panic attacks. Sensitivity to CO2 is highly heterogeneous among individuals, and although a genetic component is implicated, underlying mechanisms are not clear. Preclinical models that can simulate differential responsivity to CO2 are therefore relevant. In the current study we investigated CO2-evoked behavioral responses in four different rat strains: Sprague-Dawley (SD), Wistar (W), Long Evans (LE) and Wistar-Kyoto, (WK) rats. We also assessed tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH-2)-positive serotonergic neurons in anxiety/panic regulatory subdivisions of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), as well as dopamine β hydroxylase (DβH)-positive noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus, implicated in central CO2-chemosensitivity. Behavioral responsivity to CO2 inhalation varied between strains. CO2-evoked immobility was significantly higher in LE and WK rats as compared with W and SD cohorts. Differences were also observed in CO2-evoked rearing and grooming behaviors. Exposure to CO2 did not produce conditioned behavioral responses upon re-exposure to CO2 context in any strain. Reduced TPH-2 positive cell counts were observed specifically in the panic-regulatory dorsal raphe ventrolateral (DRVL)-ventrolateral periaqueductal grey (VLPAG) subdivision in CO2-sensitive strains. Conversely, DβH positive cell counts within the LC were significantly higher in CO2-sensitive strains. Collectively, our data provide evidence for strain dependent, differential CO2-sensitivity and potential differences in monoaminergic systems regulating panic and anxiety. Comparative studies between CO2-vulnerable and resistant strains may facilitate the mechanistic understanding of differential CO2-sensitivity in the development of panic and anxiety disorders. PMID:28087339

Interaction order and anxiety disorder: A 'Batesonian' heuristic of speaking patterns during psychotherapy.

PubMed

Streeck, Jürgen

2011-01-01

This paper describes speaking practices enacted by young female in-patients during psychotherapy sessions. The patients are in treatment for anxiety and panic disorders (social phobias). The practices involve prosodic, lexical and pragmatic aspects of utterance construction. An effect that they share is that the speaker's embodied presence in her talk and her epistemic commitment to it are reduced as the utterance progresses. The practices are interpreted in light of Bateson's interactional theory of character formation: as elements of a self-sustaining system Angst (anxiety). The study has grown out of an interdisciplinary effort to explore possible relationships between types of anxiety and the communicative and linguistic patterns by which patients describe panic attacks and other highly emotional experiences.

Unusual presentation of pheochromocytoma: thirteen years of anxiety requiring psychiatric treatment.

PubMed

Alguire, Catherine; Chbat, Jessica; Forest, Isabelle; Godbout, Ariane; Bourdeau, Isabelle

2018-01-01

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of the adrenal gland. It often presents with the classic triad of headache, palpitations and generalized sweating. Although not described as a typical symptom of pheochromocytoma, anxiety is the fourth most common symptom reported by patients suffering of pheochromocytoma. We report the case of a 64 year old man who had severe anxiety and panic disorder as presenting symptoms of pheochromocytoma. After 13 years of psychiatric follow-up, the patient was diagnosed with malignant pheochromocytoma. After surgical resection of his pheochromocytoma and his hepatic metastases, the major panic attacks completely disappeared, the anxiety symptoms improved significantly and the psychiatric medications were stopped except for a very low maintenance dose of venlafaxine. We found in our cohort of 160 patients with pheochromocytoma 2 others cases of apparently benign tumors with severe anxiety that resolved after pheochromocytoma resection. These cases highlight that pheochromocytoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of refractory anxiety disorder. Anxiety and panic disorder may be the main presenting symptoms of pheochromocytoma.The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma should be excluded in cases of long-term panic disorder refractory to medications since the anxiety may be secondary to a catecholamine-secreting tumor.Surgical treatment of pheochromocytoma leads to significant improvement of anxiety disorders.

Childhood separation anxiety disorder and adult onset panic attacks share a common genetic diathesis.

PubMed

Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Eaves, Lindon J; Hettema, John M; Kendler, Kenneth S; Silberg, Judy L

2012-04-01

Childhood separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is hypothesized to share etiologic roots with panic disorder. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic and environmental sources of covariance between childhood SAD and adult onset panic attacks (AOPA), with the primary goal to determine whether these two phenotypes share a common genetic diathesis. Participants included parents and their monozygotic or dizygotic twins (n = 1,437 twin pairs) participating in the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development and those twins who later completed the Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU). The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment was completed at three waves during childhood/adolescence followed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R at the YAFU. Two separate, bivariate Cholesky models were fit to childhood diagnoses of SAD and overanxious disorder (OAD), respectively, and their relation with AOPA; a trivariate Cholesky model also examined the collective influence of childhood SAD and OAD on AOPA. In the best-fitting bivariate model, the covariation between SAD and AOPA was accounted for by genetic and unique environmental factors only, with the genetic factor associated with childhood SAD explaining significant variance in AOPA. Environmental risk factors were not significantly shared between SAD and AOPA. By contrast, the genetic factor associated with childhood OAD did not contribute significantly to AOPA. Results of the trivariate Cholesky reaffirmed outcomes of bivariate models. These data indicate that childhood SAD and AOPA share a common genetic diathesis that is not observed for childhood OAD, strongly supporting the hypothesis of a specific genetic etiologic link between the two phenotypes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

NMDA and AMPA/kainate glutamatergic receptors in the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex modulate the elaborated defensive behavior and innate fear-induced antinociception elicited by GABAA receptor blockade in the medial hypothalamus.

PubMed

de Freitas, Renato Leonardo; Salgado-Rohner, Carlos José; Biagioni, Audrey Francisco; Medeiros, Priscila; Hallak, Jaime Eduardo Cecílio; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2014-06-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-proprionate (AMPA)/kainate receptors of the prelimbic (PL) division of the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) on the panic attack-like reactions evoked by γ-aminobutyric acid-A receptor blockade in the medial hypothalamus (MH). Rats were pretreated with NaCl 0.9%, LY235959 (NMDA receptor antagonist), and NBQX (AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist) in the PL at 3 different concentrations. Ten minutes later, the MH was treated with bicuculline, and the defensive responses were recorded for 10 min. The antagonism of NMDA receptors in the PL decreased the frequency and duration of all defensive behaviors evoked by the stimulation of the MH and reduced the innate fear-induced antinociception. However, the pretreatment of the PL cortex with NBQX was able to decrease only part of defensive responses and innate fear-induced antinociception. The present findings suggest that the NMDA-glutamatergic system of the PL is critically involved in panic-like responses and innate fear-induced antinociception and those AMPA/kainate receptors are also recruited during the elaboration of fear-induced antinociception and in panic attack-related response. The activation of the glutamatergic neurotransmission of PL division of the MPFC during the elaboration of oriented behavioral reactions elicited by the chemical stimulation of the MH recruits mainly NMDA receptors in comparison with AMPA/kainate receptors.

Jason and "The Flaming Hamsters of Death": A Reality Rub Reclaiming Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Erik K.; Felski-Smith, Cara

2008-01-01

Jason is a 17-year-old high school senior currently classified as a student who is Other Health Impaired due to anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and germ phobia (an intense fear of something that poses little actual threat--but can cause severe anxiety or a full panic attack). He also has a severe learning disability in reading. Jason is…

Are the Best Minds of a Generation Being Destroyed by Madness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Scott

2002-01-01

As a counselor at Montclair High School (New Jersey) for the past eleven years, the author worries about the best and the brightest of U.S. high school students who are suffering from anxiety, depression, anorexia and panic attacks. The author suspects that the common thread among these students is the obsessive desire to obtain admission to the…

Distinct responses to predictable and unpredictable threat in anxiety pathologies: effect of panic attack.

PubMed

Grillon, Christian; O'Connell, Katherine; Lieberman, Lynne; Alvarez, Gabriella; Geraci, Marilla; Pine, Daniel S; Ernst, Monique

2017-10-01

Delineating specific clinical phenotypes of anxiety disorders is a crucial step toward better classification and understanding of these conditions. The present study sought to identify differential aversive responses to predictable and unpredictable threat of shock in healthy comparisons and in non-medicated anxiety patients with and without a history of panic attacks (PAs). 143 adults (72 healthy controls; 71 patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or/and social anxiety disorder (SAD), 24 with and 47 without PAs) were exposed to three conditions: 1) predictable shocks signaled by a cue, 2) unpredictable shocks, and 3) no shock. Startle magnitude was used to assess aversive responses. Across disorders, a PA history was specifically associated with hypersensitivity to unpredictable threat. By disorder, SAD was associated with hypersensitivity to predictable threat, whereas GAD was associated with exaggerated baseline startle. These results identified three physiological patterns. The first is hypersensitivity to unpredictable threat in individuals with PAs. The second is hypersensitivity to predictable threat, which characterizes SAD. The third is enhanced baseline startle in GAD, which may reflect propensity for self-generated anxious thoughts in the absence of imminent danger. These results inform current thinking by linking specific clinical features to particular physiology profiles.

Anxiety sensitivity and auditory perception of heartbeat.

PubMed

Pollock, R A; Carter, A S; Amir, N; Marks, L E

2006-12-01

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the fear of sensations associated with autonomic arousal. AS has been associated with the development and maintenance of panic disorder. Given that panic patients often rate cardiac symptoms as the most fear-provoking feature of a panic attack, AS individuals may be especially responsive to cardiac stimuli. Consequently, we developed a signal-in-white-noise detection paradigm to examine the strategies that high and low AS individuals use to detect and discriminate normal and abnormal heartbeat sounds. Compared to low AS individuals, high AS individuals demonstrated a greater propensity to report the presence of normal, but not abnormal, heartbeat sounds. High and low AS individuals did not differ in their ability to perceive normal heartbeat sounds against a background of white noise; however, high AS individuals consistently demonstrated lower ability to discriminate abnormal heartbeats from background noise and between abnormal and normal heartbeats. AS was characterized by an elevated false alarm rate across all tasks. These results suggest that heartbeat sounds may be fear-relevant cues for AS individuals, and may affect their attention and perception in tasks involving threat signals.

Objective assessment of olfactory function using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Toledano, Adolfo; Borromeo, Susana; Luna, Guillermo; Molina, Elena; Solana, Ana Beatriz; García-Polo, Pablo; Hernández, Juan Antonio; Álvarez-linera, Juan

2012-01-01

To show the results of a device that generates automated olfactory stimuli suitable for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments. Ten normal volunteers, 5 women and 5 men, were studied. The system allows the programming of several sequences, providing the capability to synchronise the onset of odour presentation with acquisition by a trigger signal of the MRI scanner. The olfactometer is a device that allows selection of the odour, the event paradigm, the time of stimuli and the odour concentration. The paradigm used during fMRI scanning consisted of 15-s blocks. The odorant event took 2s with butanol, mint and coffee. We observed olfactory activity in the olfactory bulb, entorhinal cortex (4%), amygdala (2.5%) and temporo-parietal cortex, especially in the areas related to emotional integration. The device has demonstrated its effectiveness in stimulating olfactory areas and its capacity to adapt to fMRI equipment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Re-examining the differential familial liability of agoraphobia and panic disorder.

PubMed

Knappe, Susanne; Beesdo-Baum, Katja; Nocon, Agnes; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich

2012-11-01

Controversy surrounds the question of whether agoraphobia (AG) exists as an independent diagnostic entity apart from panic. In favor of this position, AG without panic disorder (PD) in parents was found being unrelated to offsprings' risk for AG or PD, albeit it may enhance the familial transmission of PD (Nocon et al., Depress Anxiety 2008;25:422-434). However, a recent behavioral genetic analysis (Mosing et al., Depress Anxiety 2009;26:1004-1011) found an increased risk for both PD and AG in siblings of those with AG without PD, casting doubt on whether AG exists independently of PD. Convincing evidence for either position notably requires considering also other anxiety disorders to establish the position of AG relative to the panic/anxiety spectrum. Familial transmission of panic attacks (PAs), PD, and AG was examined in a 10-year prospective-longitudinal community study of 3,021 adolescents and young adults including completed direct and indirect information on parental psychopathology. Standardized diagnostic assessments using the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview allowed generating exclusive diagnostic groups independent from diagnostic hierarchy rules. Parental PD without AG was associated with an increased risk for PA and PD+AG, but not for PD without AG or AG without PD in offspring. Parental AG without PD was unrelated to the offsprings' risk for PA, exclusive PD or AG, or PD+AG. Findings were largely unaffected by adjustment for other offspring or parental anxiety disorders. Findings provide further evidence for the independence of AG apart from the PD spectrum. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Responses to panic induction procedures in subjects with multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance: understanding the relationship with panic disorder.

PubMed Central

Tarlo, Susan M; Poonai, Naveen; Binkley, Karen; Antony, Martin M; Swinson, Richard P

2002-01-01

Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI), also known as multiple chemical sensitivity, is a clinical description for a cluster of symptoms of unknown etiology that have been attributed by patients to multiple environmental exposures when other medical explanations have been excluded. Because allergy has not been clearly demonstrated and current toxicological paradigms for exposure-symptom relationships do not readily accommodate IEI, psychogenic theories have been the focus of a number of investigations. A significantly higher lifetime prevalence of major depression, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and somatization disorder has been reported among patients with environmental illness compared with that in controls. Symptoms often include anxiety, lightheadedness, impaired mentation, poor coordination, breathlessness (without wheezing), tremor, and abdominal discomfort. Responses to intravenous sodium lactate challenge or single-breath inhalation of 35% carbon dioxide versus a similar breath inhalation of clean air have shown a greater frequency of panic responses in subjects with IEI than in control subjects, although such responses did not occur in all subjects. Preliminary genetic findings suggest an increased frequency of a common genotype with panic disorder patients. The panic responses in a significant proportion of IEI patients opens a therapeutic window of opportunity. Patients in whom panic responses may at least be a contributing factor to their symptoms might be responsive to intervention with psychotherapy to enable their desensitization or deconditioning of responses to odors and other triggers, and/or may be helped by anxiolytic medications, relaxation training, and counseling for stress management. PMID:12194904

Olfactory modulation by dopamine in the context of aversive learning

PubMed Central

Riffell, Jeffrey A.; Martin, Joshua P.; Gage, Stephanie L.; Nighorn, Alan J.

2012-01-01

The need to detect and process sensory cues varies in different behavioral contexts. Plasticity in sensory coding can be achieved by the context-specific release of neuromodulators in restricted brain areas. The context of aversion triggers the release of dopamine in the insect brain, yet the effects of dopamine on sensory coding are unknown. In this study, we characterize the morphology of dopaminergic neurons that innervate each of the antennal lobes (ALs; the first synaptic neuropils of the olfactory system) of the moth Manduca sexta and demonstrate with electrophysiology that dopamine enhances odor-evoked responses of the majority of AL neurons while reducing the responses of a small minority. Because dopamine release in higher brain areas mediates aversive learning we developed a naturalistic, ecologically inspired aversive learning paradigm in which an innately appetitive host plant floral odor is paired with a mimic of the aversive nectar of herbivorized host plants. This pairing resulted in a decrease in feeding behavior that was blocked when dopamine receptor antagonists were injected directly into the ALs. These results suggest that a transient dopaminergic enhancement of sensory output from the AL contributes to the formation of aversive memories. We propose a model of olfactory modulation in which specific contexts trigger the release of different neuromodulators in the AL to increase olfactory output to downstream areas of processing. PMID:22552185

Management of anxiety in late life.

PubMed

Flint, A J

1998-01-01

Epidemiologic data are used as a framework to discuss the pharmacologic and cognitive-behavioral management of anxiety disorders in late life. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and phobias account for most cases of anxiety in late life. The high level of comorbidity between GAD and major depression, and the observation that the anxiety usually arises secondarily to the depression, suggests that antidepressant medication should be the primary pharmacologic treatment for many older people with GAD. Most individuals with late-onset agoraphobia do not have a history of panic attacks and the illness often starts after a traumatic event. Exposure therapy is the treatment of choice for agoraphobia without panic. It is uncommon for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic disorder to start for the first time in old age, but these disorders can persist from younger years into late life. Case reports and uncontrolled case series suggest that elderly people with OCD or panic disorder can benefit from pharmacologic and cognitive-behavioral treatments that are known to be effective in younger patients. However, it is not known whether the rate of response among elderly patients is adversely affected by the chronicity of these disorders. The prevalence and incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in late life are not known. Uncontrolled data support the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in war veterans with chronic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; other treatments for this condition await evaluation in the elderly.

μ-Opioid and 5-HT1A receptors in the dorsomedial hypothalamus interact for the regulation of panic-related defensive responses.

PubMed

Roncon, Camila Marroni; Yamashita, Paula Shimene de Melo; Frias, Alana Tercino; Audi, Elisabeth Aparecida; Graeff, Frederico Guilherme; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne; Zangrossi, Helio

2017-06-01

The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and the dorsal periaqueductal gray (DPAG) have been implicated in the genesis and regulation of panic-related defensive behaviors, such as escape. Previous results point to an interaction between serotonergic and opioidergic systems within the DPAG to inhibit escape, involving µ-opioid and 5-HT1A receptors (5-HT1AR). In the present study we explore this interaction in the DMH, using escape elicited by electrical stimulation of this area as a panic attack index. The obtained results show that intra-DMH administration of the non-selective opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (0.5 nmol) prevented the panicolytic-like effect of a local injection of serotonin (20 nmol). Pretreatment with the selective μ-opioid receptor (MOR) antagonist CTOP (1 nmol) blocked the panicolytic-like effect of the 5-HT1AR agonist 8-OHDPAT (8 nmol). Intra-DMH injection of the selective MOR agonist DAMGO (0.3 nmol) also inhibited escape behavior, and a previous injection of the 5-HT1AR antagonist WAY-100635 (0.37 nmol) counteracted this panicolytic-like effect. These results offer the first evidence that serotonergic and opioidergic systems work together within the DMH to inhibit panic-like behavior through an interaction between µ-opioid and 5-HT1A receptors, as previously described in the DPAG.

Is panic disorder a disorder of physical fitness? A heuristic proposal.

PubMed

Perna, Giampaolo; Caldirola, Daniela

2018-01-01

Currently, panic disorder (PD) is considered a mental disorder based on the assumptions that panic attacks (PAs) are "false alarms" that arise from abnormally sensitive defense systems in the central nervous system and that PD is treated with therapies specifically acting on anxiety or fear mechanisms. This article aims to propose an alternative perspective based on the results of some experimental studies. Our heuristic proposal suggests not only that PD may be a mental disorder but also that patients with PD have real abnormal body functioning, mainly involving cardiorespiratory and balance systems, leading to a decline in global physical fitness. PAs, as well as physical symptoms or discomfort in some environmental situations, may be "real alarms" signaling that the adaptability resources of an organism are insufficient to respond appropriately to some internal or external changes, thus representing the transient conscious awareness of an imbalance in body functioning. The antipanic properties of several modern treatments for PD may include their beneficial effects on body functions. Although anxiety or fear mechanisms are evidently involved in PD, we hypothesize that a reduction of physical fitness is the "primum movens" of PD, while anxiety or fear is induced and sustained by repeated signals of impaired body functioning. We propose considering panic in a broader perspective that offers a central role to the body and to contemplate the possible role of somatic treatments in PD.

Is panic disorder a disorder of physical fitness? A heuristic proposal

PubMed Central

Perna, Giampaolo; Caldirola, Daniela

2018-01-01

Currently, panic disorder (PD) is considered a mental disorder based on the assumptions that panic attacks (PAs) are “false alarms” that arise from abnormally sensitive defense systems in the central nervous system and that PD is treated with therapies specifically acting on anxiety or fear mechanisms. This article aims to propose an alternative perspective based on the results of some experimental studies. Our heuristic proposal suggests not only that PD may be a mental disorder but also that patients with PD have real abnormal body functioning, mainly involving cardiorespiratory and balance systems, leading to a decline in global physical fitness. PAs, as well as physical symptoms or discomfort in some environmental situations, may be “real alarms” signaling that the adaptability resources of an organism are insufficient to respond appropriately to some internal or external changes, thus representing the transient conscious awareness of an imbalance in body functioning. The antipanic properties of several modern treatments for PD may include their beneficial effects on body functions. Although anxiety or fear mechanisms are evidently involved in PD, we hypothesize that a reduction of physical fitness is the “primum movens” of PD, while anxiety or fear is induced and sustained by repeated signals of impaired body functioning. We propose considering panic in a broader perspective that offers a central role to the body and to contemplate the possible role of somatic treatments in PD. PMID:29623195

Sex-related and non-sex-related comorbidity subtypes of tic disorders: a latent class approach.

PubMed

Rodgers, S; Müller, M; Kawohl, W; Knöpfli, D; Rössler, W; Castelao, E; Preisig, M; Ajdacic-Gross, V

2014-05-01

Recent evidence suggests that there may be more than one Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS)/tic disorder phenotype. However, little is known about the common patterns of these GTS/tic disorder-related comorbidities. In addition, sex-specific phenomenological data of GTS/tic disorder-affected adults are rare. Therefore, this community-based study used latent class analyses (LCA) to investigate sex-related and non-sex-related subtypes of GTS/tic disorders and their most common comorbidities. The data were drawn from the PsyCoLaus study (n = 3691), a population-based survey conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland. LCA were performed on the data of 80 subjects manifesting motor/vocal tics during their childhood/adolescence. Comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, depressive, phobia and panic symptoms/syndromes comprised the selected indicators. The resultant classes were characterized by psychosocial correlates. In LCA, four latent classes provided the best fit to the data. We identified two male-related classes. The first class exhibited both ADHD and depression. The second class comprised males with only depression. Class three was a female-related class depicting obsessive thoughts/compulsive acts, phobias and panic attacks. This class manifested high psychosocial impairment. Class four had a balanced sex proportion and comorbid symptoms/syndromes such as phobias and panic attacks. The complementary occurrence of comorbid obsessive thoughts/compulsive acts and ADHD impulsivity was remarkable. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study applying LCA to community data of GTS symptoms/tic disorder-affected persons. Our findings support the utility of differentiating GTS/tic disorder subphenotypes on the basis of comorbid syndromes. © 2013 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2013 EFNS.

Metabolic decoupling in daily life in patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia.

PubMed

Pfaltz, Monique C; Kolodyazhniy, Vitaliy; Blechert, Jens; Margraf, Jürgen; Grossman, Paul; Wilhelm, Frank H

2015-09-01

Various studies have assessed autonomic and respiratory underpinnings of panic attacks, yet the psychophysiological functioning of panic disorder (PD) patients has rarely been examined under naturalistic conditions at times when acute attacks were not reported. We hypothesized that emotional activation in daily life causes physiologically demonstrable deviations from efficient metabolic regulation in PD patients. Metabolic coupling was estimated as within-individual correlations between heart rate (HR) and indices of metabolic activity, i.e., physical activity (measured by 3-axial accelerometry, Acc), and minute ventilation (Vm, measured by calibrated inductive plethysmography, as proxy for oxygen consumption). A total of 565 daytime hours were recorded in 19 PD patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). Pairwise cross-correlations of minute-by-minute averages of these metabolic indices were calculated for each participant and then correlated with several indices of self-reported anxiety. Ambulatory HR was elevated in PD (p = .05, d = 0.67). Patients showed reduced HR-Acc (p < .006, d = 0.97) and HR-Vm coupling (p < .009, d = 0.91). Combining Vm and Acc to predict HR showed the strongest group separation (p < .002, d = 1.07). Discriminant analyses, based on the combination of Vm and Acc to predict HR, classified 77% of all participants correctly. In PD, HR-Acc coupling was inversely related to trait anxiety sensitivity, as well as tonic and phasic daytime anxiety. The novel method that was used demonstrates that anxiety in PD may reduce efficient long-term metabolic coupling. Metabolic decoupling may serve as physiological characteristic of PD and might aid diagnostics for PD and other anxiety disorders. This measure deserves further study in research on health consequences of anxiety and psychosocial stress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student Support in E-Learning Courses in Higher Education--Insights from a Metasynthesis "A Pedagogy of Panic Attacks"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnaar, A.

2011-01-01

E-learning includes the use of the internet for accessing learning materials, interacting with learning content and with instructors and students to obtain support during the learning process in order to gain knowledge and personal meaning and to grow. It occurs when students have electronic access to resources and where they are in regular online…

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with a Six-Year-Old Boy with Separation Anxiety Disorder: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dia, David A.

2001-01-01

This study examines the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in a six-year-old boy who was having at least one panic attack a day. It uses a four-phased program that includes a psychoeducational approach. The outcome studies demonstrated how CBT shows promise as a treatment modality with…

Cardiophobia: a paradigmatic behavioural model of heart-focused anxiety and non-anginal chest pain.

PubMed

Eifert, G H

1992-07-01

Cardiophobia is defined as an anxiety disorder of persons characterized by repeated complaints of chest pain, heart palpitations, and other somatic sensations accompanied by fears of having a heart attack and of dying. Persons with cardiophobia focus attention on their heart when experiencing stress and arousal, perceive its function in a phobic manner, and continue to believe that they suffer from an organic heart problem despite repeated negative medical tests. In order to reduce anxiety, they seek continuous reassurance, make excessive use of medical facilities, and avoid activities believed to elicit symptoms. The relationship of cardiophobia to illness phobia, health anxiety, and panic disorder is discussed. An integrative psychobiological model of cardiophobia is presented which includes previous learning conditions relating to experiences of separation and cardiac disease; deficient and inappropriate behavioural repertoires which constitute a psychological vulnerability for cardiophobic problems; negative life events, stressors, and conflicts in the person's present situation that trigger and contribute to the symptoms; current affective, cognitive, and behavioural symptoms and their stimulus properties; and genetic and acquired biological vulnerability factors. Finally, recommendations for the treatment of cardiophobia are derived from the model and areas of future research are outlined.

Gender Differences in Post-Traumatic Stress.

PubMed

Modena, Maria Grazia; Pettorelli, Daniele; Lauria, Giulia; Giubertoni, Elisa; Mauro, Erminio; Martinotti, Valentina

2017-01-01

Acute stress can trigger cardiovascular events and disease. The earthquake is an "ideal" natural experiment for acute and chronic stress, with impact mainly on the cardiovascular system. On May 20th and 29th, 2012, two earthquakes of magnitude 5.9° to 6.4° on the Richter scale, hit the province of Modena and Reggio Emilia, an area of the north-center of Italy never considered at seismic risk. The purpose of our study was to assess whether there were gender-specific differences in stress-induced incidence of cardiovascular events and age of patients who arrived at the Emergency Departments (ED) of the three main teaching hospitals of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Global access of patients, divided in relation to age, gender, and diagnosis was compared with that one detected in the same departments and in the same interval of time in 2010. The data collected were relative to consecutive cases derived by retrospective chart and acute cardiovascular events were classified according to ICD-9 ( International Classification of Diseases , ninth revision). A total of 1,401 accesses were recorded in the year of earthquake versus 530 in 2010 ( p  ≤ 0.05), with no statistically significant differences in number of cases and mean age in relation to gender, despite the number of women exceeded that of men in 2012 (730 vs. 671); the opposite occurred, in 2010 (328 vs. 202). The gender analysis of 2012 showed a prevalence of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs 177 vs. 73, p  ≤ 0.03) in men, whereas women presented more strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) (90 vs. 94, p  ≤ 0.05), atrial fibrillation (120 vs. 49, p  ≤ 0.05), deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (DVT/PE; 64 vs. 9, p  ≤ 0.05), panic attacks (124 vs. 26, p  ≤ 0.03), aspecific chest pain (122 vs. 18, p  ≤ 0.05), TakoTsubo cardiomyopathy (10 vs. 0, p  ≤ 0.05), and DVT/PE (61 vs. 3, p  ≤ 0.03). The gender analysis of 2010 showed no difference in number of accesses and age, with higher incidence of ACS in men (130 vs. 34, p  ≤ 0.05) and aspecific chest pain in women (42 vs. 5, p  ≤ 0.05). The analysis between 2012 and the standard period (2010) showed women recurring to ED in larger number with more panic attacks (124 vs. 3, p  ≤ 0.01), more atrial fibrillation (120 vs. 40, p  ≤ 0.01) and, as a possible consequence, more TIAs and strokes (190 vs. 25, p  ≤ 0.005), more TakoTsubo (10 vs. 0, p  ≤ 0.05), DVT/PE (61 vs. 3, p  ≤ 0.05), and aspecific chest pain (122 vs. 5, p  ≤ 0.01). The difference between men's accesses to ED was less striking, but in 2012 men reported more panic attacks (26 vs. none, p  ≤ 0.05), more atrial fibrillations, TIAs, and strokes (49 vs. 13, p  ≤ 0.05 and 94 vs. 18, p  ≤ 0.03). In conclusion, clinical (stress induced) events recorded during and immediately after the 2012 earthquakes were quite different between women and men, although the pathophysiological mechanism was probably the same, consisting acute sympathetic nervous activation, with elevation of blood pressure and heart rate, endothelial dysfunction, platelet and hemostatic activation, increased blood viscosity, and hypercoagulation. Women, in our observation, appeared to be more sensitive and responsive to acute stress, although men also appeared to suffer from stress effects when compared with a standard period, which, nevertheless, reflects in our population the most common epidemiology of gender difference in ED accesses for cardiovascular events.

Feasibility and utility of screening for depression and anxiety disorders in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Celano, Christopher M; Suarez, Laura; Mastromauro, Carol; Januzzi, James L; Huffman, Jeff C

2013-07-01

Depression and anxiety in patients with cardiac disease are common and independently associated with morbidity and mortality. We aimed to explore the use of a 3-step approach to identify inpatients with cardiac disease with depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or panic disorder; understand the predictive value of individual screening items in identifying these disorders; and assess the relative prevalence of these disorders in this cohort. To identify depression and anxiety disorders in inpatients with cardiac disease as part of a care management trial, an iterative 3-step screening procedure was used. This included an existing 4-item (Coping Screen) tool in nursing data sets, a 5-item screen for positive Coping Screen patients (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 [PHQ-2], GAD-2, and an item about panic attacks), and a diagnostic evaluation using PHQ-9 and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders anxiety disorder modules. Overall, 6210 inpatients received the Coping Screen, 581 completed portions of all 3 evaluation steps, and 210 received a diagnosis (143 depression, 129 GAD, 30 panic disorder). Controlling for age, sex, and the other screening items, PHQ-2 items independently predicted depression (little interest/pleasure: odds ratio [OR]=6.65, P<0.001; depression: OR=5.24, P=0.001), GAD-2 items predicted GAD (anxious: OR=4.09, P=0.003; unable to control worrying: OR=10.46, P<0.001), and the panic item predicted panic disorder (OR=49.61, P<0.001). GAD was nearly as prevalent as depression in this cohort, and GAD-2 was an effective screening tool; however, panic disorder was rare. These results support the use of 2-step screening for depression and GAD beginning with a 4-item scale (GAD-2 plus PHQ-2). Unique Identifier: NCT01201967. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01201967.

Improved statistical analysis of moclobemide dose effects on panic disorder treatment.

PubMed

Ross, Donald C; Klein, Donald F; Uhlenhuth, E H

2010-04-01

Clinical trials with several measurement occasions are frequently analyzed using only the last available observation as the dependent variable [last observation carried forward (LOCF)]. This ignores intermediate observations. We reanalyze, with complete data methods, a clinical trial previously reported using LOCF, comparing placebo and five dosage levels of moclobemide in the treatment of outpatients with panic disorder to illustrate the superiority of methods using repeated observations. We initially analyzed unprovoked and situational, major and minor attacks as the four dependent variables, by repeated measures maximum likelihood methods. The model included parameters for linear and curvilinear time trends and regression of measures during treatment on baseline measures. Significance tests using this method take into account the structure of the error covariance matrix. This makes the sphericity assumption irrelevant. Missingness is assumed to be unrelated to eventual outcome and the residuals are assumed to have a multivariate normal distribution. No differential treatment effects for limited attacks were found. Since similar results were obtained for both types of major attack, data for the two types of major attack were combined. Overall downward linear and negatively accelerated downward curvilinear time trends were found. There were highly significant treatment differences in the regression slopes of scores during treatment on baseline observations. For major attacks, all treatment groups improved over time. The flatter regression slopes, obtained with higher doses, indicated that higher doses result in uniformly lower attack rates regardless of initial severity. Lower doses do not lower the attack rate of severely ill patients to those achieved in the less severely ill. The clinical implication is that more severe patients require higher doses to attain best benefit. Further, the significance levels obtained by LOCF analyses were only in the 0.05-0.01 range, while significance levels of <0.00001 were obtained by these repeated measures analyses indicating increased power. The greater sensitivity to treatment effect of this complete data method is illustrated. To increase power, it is often recommended to increase sample size. However, this is often impractical since a major proportion of the cost per subject is due to the initial evaluation. Increasing the number of repeated observations increases power economically and also allows detailed longitudinal trajectory analyses.

Gastrointestinal-focused panic attacks among Cambodian refugees: associated psychopathology, flashbacks, and catastrophic cognitions.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Chhean, Dara; Fama, Jeanne M; Pollack, Mark H; McNally, Richard J

2007-01-01

Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, we assessed psychopathology associated with gastrointestinal panic (GIP), and investigated possible causal mechanisms, including "fear of fear" and GIP-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions. GIP (n=46) patients had greater psychopathology (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale [CAPS] and Symptom Checklist-90-R [SCL]) and "fear of fear" (Anxiety Sensitivity Index [ASI]) than did non-GIP patients (n=84). Logistic regression revealed that general psychopathology (SCL; odds ratio=4.1) and fear of anxiety-related sensations (ASI; odds ratio=2.4) predicted the presence of GIP. Among GIP patients, a hierarchical regression revealed that GIP-associated trauma recall and catastrophic cognitions explained variance in GIP severity beyond a measure of general psychopathology (SCL). A mediational analysis indicated that SCL's effect on GIP severity was mediated by GIP-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions.

Involvement of prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex in panic-like elaborated defensive behaviour and innate fear-induced antinociception elicited by GABAA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei: role of the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor.

PubMed

Freitas, Renato Leonardo de; Salgado-Rohner, Carlos José; Hallak, Jaime Eduardo Cecílio; Crippa, José Alexandre de Souza; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2013-09-01

It has been shown that GABAA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei (DMH and VMH, respectively) induces elaborated defensive behavioural responses accompanied by antinociception, which has been utilized as an experimental model of panic attack. Furthermore, the prelimbic (PL) division of the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) has been related to emotional reactions and the processing of nociceptive information. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible involvement of the PL cortex and the participation of local cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the elaboration of panic-like reactions and in innate fear-induced antinociception. Elaborated fear-induced responses were analysed during a 10-min period in an open-field test arena. Microinjection of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline into the DMH/VMH evoked panic-like behaviour and fear-induced antinociception, which was decreased by microinjection of the non-selective synaptic contact blocker cobalt chloride in the PL cortex. Moreover, microinjection of AM251 (25, 100 or 400 pmol), an endocannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, into the PL cortex also attenuated the defensive behavioural responses and the antinociception that follows innate fear behaviour elaborated by DMH/VMH. These data suggest that the PL cortex plays an important role in the organization of elaborated forward escape behaviour and that this cortical area is also involved in the elaboration of innate fear-induced antinociception. Additionally, CB1 receptors in the PL cortex modulate both panic-like behaviours and fear-induced antinociception elicited by disinhibition of the DMH/VMH through microinjection of bicuculline.

Treatment of phobophobia by exposure to CO2-induced anxiety symptoms.

PubMed

Griez, E; van den Hout, M A

1983-08-01

It is argued that fear of fear, or phobophobia, can be an important maintaining factor in cases of seemingly free-floating anxiety with periodic panic attacks and that effective treatment consists of exposure to the feared neurovegetative sensations. The case history presented suggests that inhalation of CO2-O2 mixtures induces the phobic interoceptive sensations and that it can be used in the exposure treatment of phobophobia.

Noradrenergic induction of odor-specific neural habituation and olfactory memories

PubMed Central

Shea, Stephen D.; Katz, Lawrence C.; Mooney, Richard

2008-01-01

For many mammals, individual recognition of conspecifics relies on olfactory cues. Certain individual recognition memories are thought to be stored when conspecific odor cues coincide with surges of noradrenaline (NA) triggered by intensely arousing social events. Such familiar stimuli elicit reduced behavioral responses, a change likely related to NA-dependent plasticity in the olfactory bulb (OB). In addition to its role in these ethological memories, NA signaling in the OB appears to be relevant for the discrimination of more arbitrary odorants as well. Nonetheless, no NA-gated mechanism of long-term plasticity in the OB has ever been directly observed in vivo. Here we report that NA release from locus coeruleus (LC), when coupled to odor presentation, acts locally in the main olfactory bulb (MOB) to cause a specific long-lasting suppression of respones to paired odors. These effects were observed for both food odors and urine, an important social recognition cue. Moreover, in subsequent behavioral tests, mice exhibited habituation to paired urine stimuli, suggesting that this LC-mediated olfactory neural plasticity, induced under anesthesia, can store an individual recognition memory that is observable upon recovery. PMID:18923046

Distinct amyloid precursor protein processing machineries of the olfactory system.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Yeon; Rasheed, Ameer; Yoo, Seung-Jun; Kim, So Yeun; Cho, Bongki; Son, Gowoon; Yu, Seong-Woon; Chang, Keun-A; Suh, Yoo-Hun; Moon, Cheil

2018-01-01

Processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) occurs through sequential cleavages first by β-secretase and then by the γ-secretase complex. However, abnormal processing of APP leads to excessive production of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the central nervous system (CNS), an event which is regarded as a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, gene mutations of the γ-secretase complex-which contains presenilin 1 or 2 as the catalytic core-could trigger marked Aβ accumulation. Olfactory dysfunction usually occurs before the onset of typical AD-related symptoms (eg, memory loss or muscle retardation), suggesting that the olfactory system may be one of the most vulnerable regions to AD. To date however, little is known about why the olfactory system is affected so early by AD prior to other regions. Thus, we examined the distribution of secretases and levels of APP processing in the olfactory system under either healthy or pathological conditions. Here, we show that the olfactory system has distinct APP processing machineries. In particular, we identified higher expressions levels and activity of γ-secretase in the olfactory epithelium (OE) than other regions of the brain. Moreover, APP c-terminal fragments (CTF) are markedly detected. During AD progression, we note increased expression of presenilin2 of γ-secretases in the OE, not in the OB, and show that neurotoxic Aβ*56 accumulates more quickly in the OE. Taken together, these results suggest that the olfactory system has distinct APP processing machineries under healthy and pathological conditions. This finding may provide a crucial understanding of the unique APP-processing mechanisms in the olfactory system, and further highlights the correlation between olfactory deficits and AD symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct phasic and sustained brain responses and connectivity of amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis during threat anticipation in panic disorder.

PubMed

Brinkmann, L; Buff, C; Feldker, K; Tupak, S V; Becker, M P I; Herrmann, M J; Straube, T

2017-11-01

Panic disorder (PD) patients are constantly concerned about future panic attacks and exhibit general hypersensitivity to unpredictable threat. We aimed to reveal phasic and sustained brain responses and functional connectivity of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) during threat anticipation in PD. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated 17 PD patients and 19 healthy controls (HC) during anticipation of temporally unpredictable aversive and neutral sounds. We used a phasic and sustained analysis model to disentangle temporally dissociable brain activations. PD patients compared with HC showed phasic amygdala and sustained BNST responses during anticipation of aversive v. neutral stimuli. Furthermore, increased phasic activation was observed in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Insula and PFC also showed sustained activation. Functional connectivity analyses revealed partly distinct phasic and sustained networks. We demonstrate a role for the BNST during unpredictable threat anticipation in PD and provide first evidence for dissociation between phasic amygdala and sustained BNST activation and their functional connectivity. In line with a hypersensitivity to uncertainty in PD, our results suggest time-dependent involvement of brain regions related to fear and anxiety.

Framing Samuel See: the discursive detritus of the moral panic over the "double epidemic" of methamphetamines and HIV among gay men.

PubMed

Gideonse, Theodore K

2016-02-01

After being arrested for violating a restraining order against his husband, on November 24, 2013, Yale professor Samuel See died while in lockup at the Union Avenue Detention Center in New Haven, Connecticut. The death received media attention around the world, with readers arguing online about whether See's death was caused by police misconduct, as his friends and colleagues charged in interviews and during a well-publicised march and protest. When an autopsy revealed that he had died from a methamphetamine-induced heart attack, online commentary changed dramatically, with See's many supporters rhetorically abandoning him and others describing him as a stereotype of the gay meth addict who deserved his fate. In this article, I argue that this shift in the interpretation and meaning of See's death can be traced to the discursive structures left by the moral panic about crystal meth in the United States (1996-2008), which comprised within it a secondary moral panic about crystal meth in the gay community and its connection to the spread of HIV and a possible super-strain (2005-2008). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Framing Samuel See: the discursive detritus of the moral panic over the “double epidemic” of methamphetamines and HIV among gay men

PubMed Central

Gideonse, Theodore K.

2018-01-01

After being arrested for violating a restraining order against his husband, on November 24, 2013, Yale professor Samuel See died while in lockup at the Union Avenue Detention Center in New Haven, Connecticut. The death received media attention around the world, with readers arguing online about whether See’s death was caused by police misconduct, as his friends and colleagues charged in interviews and during a well-publicised march and protest. When an autopsy revealed that he had died from a methamphetamine-induced heart attack, online commentary changed dramatically, with See’s many supporters rhetorically abandoning him and others describing him as a stereotype of the gay meth addict who deserved his fate. In this article, I argue that this shift in the interpretation and meaning of See’s death can be traced to the discursive structures left by the moral panic about crystal meth in the United States (1996–2008), which comprised within it a secondary moral panic about crystal meth in the gay community and its connection to the spread of HIV and a possible super-strain (2005–2008). PMID:26826730

Betaxolol in anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Swartz, C M

1998-03-01

Betaxolol, a long-acting beta-adrenergic blocker that enters the central nervous system, was examined for therapeutic effects on the persistent anxiety of anxiety disorders. Prior studies of beta-blockers examined only agents that were short-acting or did not enter the brain. Betaxolol was administered to 31 patients in open trials. Of 13 outpatients, 11 had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 2 had adjustment disorder with anxiety. Five with GAD had concurrent panic disorder. Of 18 inpatients, 16 had GAD and 2 had adjustment disorder with anxiety. Betaxolol doses were increased until the patient responded or declined further dosage. Severity was rated on a 4-point global scale. Before betaxolol, all were moderately or severely ill. In all patients with panic disorder panic attacks stopped within 2 days (p<0.001). Anxiety decreased to no more than marginally ill in 85% of outpatients (p<0.0001) and all inpatients (p<0.0001). Betaxolol doses were usually 5 mg once or twice daily; four inpatients took 10 to 20 mg twice daily. In sum, betaxolol administration was rapidly followed by improvements that were easily noticed by the doctor, even in patients with longstanding anxiety and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Preliminary observations in posttraumatic stress disorder are similar.

Mechanisms of efficacy of CBT for Cambodian refugees with PTSD: improvement in emotion regulation and orthostatic blood pressure response.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Hofmann, Stefan G; Pollack, Mark H; Otto, Michael W

2009-01-01

Based on the results of a randomized controlled trial, we examined a model of the mechanisms of efficacy of culturally adapted cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for Cambodian refugees with pharmacology-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comordid orthostatic panic attacks (PAs). Twelve patients were in the initial treatment condition, 12 in the delayed treatment condition. The patients randomized to CBT had much greater improvement than patients in the waitlist condition on all psychometric measures and on one physiological measure-the systolic blood pressure response to orthostasis (d = 1.31)-as evaluated by repeated-measures MANOVA and planned contrasts. After receiving CBT, the Delayed Treatment Group improved on all measures, including the systolic blood pressure response to orthostasis. The CBT treatment's reduction of PTSD severity was significantly mediated by improvement in orthostatic panic and emotion regulation ability. The current study supports our model of the generation of PTSD in the Cambodian population, and suggests a key role of decreased vagal tone in the generation of orthostatic panic and PTSD in this population. It also suggests that vagal tone is involved in emotion regulation, and that both vagal tone and emotion regulation improve across treatment.

Bioterrorism for the respiratory physician.

PubMed

Waterer, Grant W; Robertson, Hannah

2009-01-01

Terrorist attacks by definition are designed to cause fear and panic. There is no question that a terrorist attack using biological agents would present a grave threat to stability of the society in which they were released. Early recognition of such a bioterrorist attack is crucial to containing the damage they could cause. As many of the most likely bioterrorism agents present with pulmonary disease, respiratory physicians may be crucial in the initial recognition and diagnosis phase, and certainly would be drawn into treatment of affected individuals. This review focuses on the biological agents thought most likely to be used by terrorists that have predominantly respiratory presentations. The primary focus of this review is on anthrax, plague, tularaemia, ricin, and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment of these agents will be discussed as well as historical examples of their use. Other potential bioterrorism agents with respiratory manifestations will also be discussed briefly.

Odorants selectively activate distinct G protein subtypes in olfactory cilia.

PubMed

Schandar, M; Laugwitz, K L; Boekhoff, I; Kroner, C; Gudermann, T; Schultz, G; Breer, H

1998-07-03

Chemoelectrical signal transduction in olfactory neurons appears to involve intracellular reaction cascades mediated by heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins. In this study attempts were made to identify the G protein subtype(s) in olfactory cilia that are activated by the primary (odorant) signal. Antibodies directed against the alpha subunits of distinct G protein subtypes interfered specifically with second messenger reponses elicited by defined subsets of odorants; odor-induced cAMP-formation was attenuated by Galphas antibodies, whereas Galphao antibodies blocked odor-induced inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3) formation. Activation-dependent photolabeling of Galpha subunits with [alpha-32P]GTP azidoanilide followed by immunoprecipitation using subtype-specific antibodies enabled identification of particular individual G protein subtypes that were activated upon stimulation of isolated olfactory cilia by chemically distinct odorants. For example odorants that elicited a cAMP response resulted in labeling of a Galphas-like protein, whereas odorants that elicited an IP3 response led to the labeling of a Galphao-like protein. Since odorant-induced IP3 formation was also blocked by Gbeta antibodies, activation of olfactory phospholipase C might be mediated by betagamma subunits of a Go-like G protein. These results indicate that different subsets of odorants selectively trigger distinct reaction cascades and provide evidence for dual transduction pathways in olfactory signaling.

Protection via parasitism: Datura odors attract parasitoid flies, which inhibit Manduca larvae from feeding and growing but may not help plants.

PubMed

Wilson, J K; Woods, H A

2015-12-01

Insect carnivores frequently use olfactory cues from plants to find prey or hosts. For plants, the benefits of attracting parasitoids have been controversial, partly because parasitoids often do not kill their host insect immediately. Furthermore, most research has focused on the effects of solitary parasitoids on growth and feeding of hosts, even though many parasitoids are gregarious (multiple siblings inhabit the same host). Here, we examine how a gregarious parasitoid, the tachinid fly Drino rhoeo, uses olfactory cues from the host plant Datura wrightii to find the sphingid herbivore Manduca sexta, and how parasitism affects growth and feeding of host larvae. In behavioral trials using a Y-olfactometer, female flies were attracted to olfactory cues emitted by attacked plants and by cues emitted from the frass produced by larval Manduca sexta. M. sexta caterpillars that were parasitized by D. rhoeo grew to lower maximum weights, grew more slowly, and ate less of their host plant. We also present an analytical model to predict how tri-trophic interactions change with varying herbivory levels, parasitization rates and plant sizes. This model predicted that smaller plants gain a relatively greater benefit compared to large plants in attracting D. rhoeo. By assessing the behavior, the effects of host performance, and the variation in ecological parameters of the system, we can better understand the complex interactions between herbivorous insects, the plants they live on and the third trophic level members that attack them.

Syncope: what is the trigger?

PubMed

Hainsworth, R

2003-02-01

Although a syncopal attack is frequently preceded by prodromal symptoms, sometimes the onset can be so abrupt that there is no warning at all. The switch in autonomic responses responsible for such an attack is quite rapid and dramatic, but the trigger for this remains one of the unresolved mysteries in cardiovascular physiology.

[Diagnosis and therapy of anxiety disorders].

PubMed

Wacker, H R

1997-07-01

Anxiety disorders may be encountered by the medical practitioner in the form of phobias, panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. A phobia is characterized by a strong, irrational fear of a given object or situation, often resulting in avoidance behavior. Phobic patients usually respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy. Panic disorder, which is distinguished by recurring, unexpected attacks of fear not bound to particular situations, may also be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and/or with clomipramin, benzodiazepines or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Patients with generalized anxiety disorder, the main symptom of which is a persistent, free-floating fear over a period of at least several months, may be helped through relaxation techniques, counseling and/or medication with low doses of sedating tricyclic compounds or short-term treatment with benzodiazepines. This article will describe anamnestic findings and the results of clinical examinations of patients with anxiety disorders. Factors to be considered in differential diagnosis will be discussed.

An olfactory receptor from Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dur) mainly tuned to volatiles from flowering host plants.

PubMed

Yan, Shu-Wei; Zhang, Jin; Liu, Yang; Li, Guo-Qing; Wang, Gui-Rong

2015-08-01

Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is one of the most serious agricultural pests, feeding on a wide range of cultivated plants, including cotton, cereals and vegetables in the north of China. This insect can frequently switch between habitats and host plants over seasons and prefer plants in bloom. A. lucorum relies heavily on olfaction to locate its host plants finely discriminating different plant volatiles in the environment. Despite its economical importance, research on the olfactory system of this species has been so far very limited. In this study, we have identified and characterized an olfactory receptor which is sensitively tuned to (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate and several flowering compounds. Besides being present in the bouquet of some flowers, these compounds are produced by plants that have suffered attacks and are supposed to act as chemical messengers between plants. This OR may play an important role in the selection of host plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theater Mental Health Encounter Data (TMHED): Overview of Design and Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

Tremblino or shakina 0 Depersonalization 0 Insomnia I Hypersomnia I Steep disturbance 0 Short of breath/smothering 0 Dissociative Amnesia 0...Tremblingshaking ~ -0 De~rsonallzation D PsY.chom D SOB/smothering D Dissociative Amnesia D Fat ue /loss of enerav Nausea/abd distress Re•x eriencln 1...Stress Affective Anxiety Dissociative 3 or more 0 De resslve E lsode 5 or more in 2 wks 0 Panic Attack 4+ s toms within 10 minutes Numbing

The Use of Comprehensive Molecular Profiling With Network and Control Theory to Better Understand GWI and Model Therapeutic Strategies

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

we excluded subjects with DSM IV diagnoses for psychotic or melancholic depression , panic attacks, substance dependency, or psychoses as well as any...with endothelial cells: evidence for depression -induced athero- sclerotic risk. Brain Behav Immun 2008, 2:215-23. 31. Ariza ME, Glaser R, Kaumaya PT...medications, and a past or present psychiatric diagnosis of psychosis (e.g., schizophrenia), dementia, major depressive disorder with psychotic or

Critical neuropsychobiological analysis of panic attack- and anticipatory anxiety-like behaviors in rodents confronted with snakes in polygonal arenas and complex labyrinths: a comparison to the elevated plus- and T-maze behavioral tests.

PubMed

Coimbra, Norberto C; Paschoalin-Maurin, Tatiana; Bassi, Gabriel S; Kanashiro, Alexandre; Biagioni, Audrey F; Felippotti, Tatiana T; Elias-Filho, Daoud H; Mendes-Gomes, Joyce; Cysne-Coimbra, Jade P; Almada, Rafael C; Lobão-Soares, Bruno

2017-01-01

To compare prey and snake paradigms performed in complex environments to the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and T-maze (ETM) tests for the study of panic attack- and anticipatory anxiety-like behaviors in rodents. PubMed was reviewed in search of articles focusing on the plus maze test, EPM, and ETM, as well as on defensive behaviors displayed by threatened rodents. In addition, the authors' research with polygonal arenas and complex labyrinth (designed by the first author for confrontation between snakes and small rodents) was examined. The EPM and ETM tests evoke anxiety/fear-related defensive responses that are pharmacologically validated, whereas the confrontation between rodents and snakes in polygonal arenas with or without shelters or in the complex labyrinth offers ethological conditions for studying more complex defensive behaviors and the effects of anxiolytic and panicolytic drugs. Prey vs. predator paradigms also allow discrimination between non-oriented and oriented escape behavior. Both EPM and ETM simple labyrinths are excellent apparatuses for the study of anxiety- and instinctive fear-related responses, respectively. The confrontation between rodents and snakes in polygonal arenas, however, offers a more ethological environment for addressing both unconditioned and conditioned fear-induced behaviors and the effects of anxiolytic and panicolytic drugs.

Initial severity and antidepressant efficacy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder: An individual patient data meta-analysis.

PubMed

de Vries, Ymkje Anna; Roest, Annelieke M; Burgerhof, Johannes G M; de Jonge, Peter

2018-06-01

It has been suggested that antidepressant benefits are smaller for mild than severe depression. Because antidepressants are also used for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we examined the influence of severity for these disorders. We used individual patient data of eight trials (3,430 participants) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); four trials (1,195 participants) for social anxiety disorder (SAD); four trials (1,132 participants) for OCD; three trials (1,071 participants) for PTSD; and 10 trials (2,151 participants) for panic disorder (PD). Mixed-effects models were used to investigate an interaction between severity and treatment group. For GAD and PD, severity moderated antidepressant efficacy. The antidepressant-placebo difference was 1.4 (95% CI: 0.4-2.5; SMD: 0.21) Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) points for participants with mild GAD (baseline HAM-A = 10), increasing to 4.0 (3.4-4.6; SMD: 0.45) or greater for severely ill participants (HAM-A ≥ 30). For PD, the difference was 0.4 (0.3-0.6) panic attacks/2 weeks for participants with 10 panic attacks/2 weeks at baseline, increasing to 4.7 (3.0-6.4) for participants with 40. For SAD, OCD, and PTSD, no interaction was found. Across severity levels, the differences were 16.1 (12.9-19.3; SMD: 0.59) Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale points, 3.4 (2.5-4.4, SMD: 0.39) Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale points, and 10.3 (6.9-13.6; SMD: 0.41) Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale points. Antidepressants are equally effective across severity levels for SAD, OCD, and PTSD. For GAD and PD, however, benefits are small at low severity, and the benefit-risk ratio may be unfavorable for these patients. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The orexin component of fasting triggers memory processes underlying conditioned food selection in the rat.

PubMed

Ferry, Barbara; Duchamp-Viret, Patricia

2014-03-14

To test the selectivity of the orexin A (OXA) system in olfactory sensitivity, the present study compared the effects of fasting and of central infusion of OXA on the memory processes underlying odor-malaise association during the conditioned odor aversion (COA) paradigm. Animals implanted with a cannula in the left ventricle received ICV infusion of OXA or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) 1 h before COA acquisition. An additional group of intact rats were food-deprived for 24 h before acquisition. Results showed that the increased olfactory sensitivity induced by fasting and by OXA infusion was accompanied by enhanced COA performance. The present results suggest that fasting-induced central OXA release influenced COA learning by increasing not only olfactory sensitivity, but also the memory processes underlying the odor-malaise association.

The orexin component of fasting triggers memory processes underlying conditioned food selection in the rat

PubMed Central

Ferry, Barbara; Duchamp-Viret, Patricia

2014-01-01

To test the selectivity of the orexin A (OXA) system in olfactory sensitivity, the present study compared the effects of fasting and of central infusion of OXA on the memory processes underlying odor–malaise association during the conditioned odor aversion (COA) paradigm. Animals implanted with a cannula in the left ventricle received ICV infusion of OXA or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) 1 h before COA acquisition. An additional group of intact rats were food-deprived for 24 h before acquisition. Results showed that the increased olfactory sensitivity induced by fasting and by OXA infusion was accompanied by enhanced COA performance. The present results suggest that fasting-induced central OXA release influenced COA learning by increasing not only olfactory sensitivity, but also the memory processes underlying the odor–malaise association. PMID:24634353

Mass Psychogenic Illness: Demography and Symptom Profile of an Episode.

PubMed

Tarafder, Binoy Krishna; Khan, Mohammad Ashik Imran; Islam, Md Tanvir; Mahmud, Sheikh Abdullah Al; Sarker, Md Humayun Kabir; Faruq, Imtiaz; Miah, Md Titu; Arafat, S M Yasir

2016-01-01

Background. Mass psychogenic illness has been a recurrent phenomenon in Bangladesh over recent times. Objectives. This study was aimed at investigating the demographic characteristics and symptom profile of an outbreak of mass psychogenic illness occurring in a girls' high school. Methods and Materials. In 14 April 2013, a total of 93 students of a girls' high school suddenly developed various symptoms following intake of tiffin cake which resulted in panic and hospital admission. A descriptive, cross-sectional observational survey was done to define various characteristics of the outbreak. Results. No organic explanation for the reported illnesses was found. 93 female students were included who were hospitalized during the incident. Trigger factor was found in 98% of students. Most of the students were 13 years old. Average interval between exposure to the trigger and onset of symptoms was 151.5 minutes. Commonest symptoms were abdominal pain (83%), headache (73%), chest pain (69%), body ache (63%), nausea (69%), and generalized weakness and fatigue (61%). Hospital stay following the incident was about 12 hours on average. Conclusion. To avoid unnecessary panic in the community a prompt, coordinated response is important in resolving widespread community anxiety surrounding these episodes.

Pain-relief learning in flies, rats, and man: basic research and applied perspectives

PubMed Central

Gerber, Bertram; Yarali, Ayse; Diegelmann, Sören; Wotjak, Carsten T.; Pauli, Paul; Fendt, Markus

2014-01-01

Memories relating to a painful, negative event are adaptive and can be stored for a lifetime to support preemptive avoidance, escape, or attack behavior. However, under unfavorable circumstances such memories can become overwhelmingly powerful. They may trigger excessively negative psychological states and uncontrollable avoidance of locations, objects, or social interactions. It is therefore obvious that any process to counteract such effects will be of value. In this context, we stress from a basic-research perspective that painful, negative events are “Janus-faced” in the sense that there are actually two aspects about them that are worth remembering: What made them happen and what made them cease. We review published findings from fruit flies, rats, and man showing that both aspects, respectively related to the onset and the offset of the negative event, induce distinct and oppositely valenced memories: Stimuli experienced before an electric shock acquire negative valence as they signal upcoming punishment, whereas stimuli experienced after an electric shock acquire positive valence because of their association with the relieving cessation of pain. We discuss how memories for such punishment- and relief-learning are organized, how this organization fits into the threat-imminence model of defensive behavior, and what perspectives these considerations offer for applied psychology in the context of trauma, panic, and nonsuicidal self-injury. PMID:24643725

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Treating Panic Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Horst, Ferdinand; Den Oudsten, Brenda; Zijlstra, Wobbe; de Jongh, Ad; Lobbestael, Jill; De Vries, Jolanda

2017-01-01

Objective: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention for patients with panic disorder (PD). From a theoretical perspective, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy could also be useful in the treatment of PD because: (1) panic attacks can be experienced as life threatening; (2) panic memories specific to PD resemble traumatic memories as seen in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and (3) PD often develops following a distressing life event. The primary objective of this Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), was to compare EMDR therapy with CBT for PD and determine whether EMDR is not worse than CBT in reducing panic symptoms and improving Quality Of Life (QOL). Methods: Two-arm (CBT and EMDR) parallel RCT in patients with PD (N = 84). Patients were measured at baseline (T1), directly after the last therapy session (T2), and 3 months after ending therapy (T3). Non-inferiority testing (linear mixed model with intention-to-treat analysis) was applied. Patients were randomly assigned to 13 weekly 60-min sessions of CBT (N = 42) or EMDR therapy (N = 42). Standard protocols were used. The primary outcome measure was severity of PD at T3, as measured with the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), the Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ), and the Mobility Inventory (MI). The secondary outcome measure was QOL, as measured with the World Health Organization Quality of Life short version (WHOQOL-Bref), at T3. Results: The severity of PD variables ACQ and BSQ showed non-inferiority of EMDR to CBT, while MI was inconclusive (adjusted analyses). Overall QOL and general health, Psychological health, Social relationships, and Environment showed non-inferiority of EMDR to CBT, while Physical health was inconclusive. Conclusion: EMDR therapy proved to be as effective as CBT for treating PD patients. Trial Registration: Dutch Trial Register, Nr. 3134 http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3134 PMID:28868042

Exploring Windows Domain-Level Defenses Against Authentication Attacks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, Jeff A.; Curtis, Laura

2016-01-01

We investigated the security resilience of the current Windows Active Directory (AD) environments to Pass-the-Hash and Pass- the-Ticket credential theft attacks. While doing this, we discovered a way to trigger the removal of all previously issued authentication credentials for a client, thus preventing their use by attackers. After triggered, the user is forced to contact the domain administrators and to authenticate to the AD to continue. This could become the basis for a response that arrests the spread of a detected attack. Operating in a virtualized XenServer environment, we were able to carefully determine and recreate the conditions necessary tomore » cause this response.« less

Infection with an acanthocephalan manipulates an amphipod's reaction to a fish predator's odours.

PubMed

Baldauf, Sebastian A; Thünken, Timo; Frommen, Joachim G; Bakker, Theo C M; Heupel, Oliver; Kullmann, Harald

2007-01-01

Many parasites with complex life cycles increase the chances of reaching a final host by adapting strategies to manipulate their intermediate host's appearance, condition or behaviour. The acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis uses freshwater amphipods as intermediate hosts before reaching sexual maturity in predatory fish. We performed a series of choice experiments with infected and uninfected Gammarus pulex in order to distinguish between the effects of visual and olfactory predator cues on parasite-induced changes in host behaviour. When both visual and olfactory cues, as well as only olfactory cues were offered, infected and uninfected G. pulex showed significantly different preferences for the predator or the non-predator side. Uninfected individuals significantly avoided predator odours while infected individuals significantly preferred the side with predator odours. When only visual contact with a predator was allowed, infected and uninfected gammarids behaved similarly and had no significant preference. Thus, we believe we show for the first time that P. laevis increases its chance to reach a final host by olfactory-triggered manipulation of the anti-predator behaviour of its intermediate host.

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Promotes the Migration of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells Through TRPC Channels.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Teng, Hong-Lin; Gao, Yuan; Zhang, Fan; Ding, Yu-Qiang; Huang, Zhi-Hui

2016-12-01

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are a unique type of glial cells with axonal growth-promoting properties in the olfactory system. Organized migration of OECs is essential for neural regeneration and olfactory development. However, the molecular mechanism of OEC migration remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on OEC migration. Initially, the "scratch" migration assay, the inverted coverslip and Boyden chamber migration assays showed that BDNF could promote the migration of primary cultured OECs. Furthermore, BDNF gradient attracted the migration of OECs in single-cell migration assays. Mechanistically, TrkB receptor expressed in OECs mediated BDNF-induced OEC migration, and BDNF triggered calcium signals in OECs. Finally, transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPCs) highly expressed in OECs were responsible for BDNF-induced calcium signals, and required for BDNF-induced OEC migration. Taken together, these results demonstrate that BDNF promotes the migration of cultured OECs and an unexpected finding is that TRPCs are required for BDNF-induced OEC migration. GLIA 2016;64:2154-2165. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Low-level copper exposures increase visibility and vulnerability of juvenile coho salmon to cutthroat trout predators

USGS Publications Warehouse

McIntyre, Jenifer K.; Baldwin, David H.; Beauchamp, David A.; Scholz, Nathaniel L.

2012-01-01

Copper contamination in surface waters is common in watersheds with mining activities or agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential human land uses. This widespread pollutant is neurotoxic to the chemosensory systems of fish and other aquatic species. Among Pacific salmonids (), copper-induced olfactory impairment has previously been shown to disrupt behaviors reliant on a functioning sense of smell. For juvenile coho salmon (O. kisutch), this includes predator avoidance behaviors triggered by a chemical alarm cue (conspecific skin extract). However, the survival consequences of this sublethal neurobehavioral toxicity have not been explored. In the present study juvenile coho were exposed to low levels of dissolved copper (5–20 μg/L for 3 h) and then presented with cues signaling the proximity of a predator. Unexposed coho showed a sharp reduction in swimming activity in response to both conspecific skin extract and the upstream presence of a cutthroat trout predator (O. clarki clarki) previously fed juvenile coho. This alarm response was absent in prey fish that were exposed to copper. Moreover, cutthroat trout were more effective predators on copper-exposed coho during predation trials, as measured by attack latency, survival time, and capture success rate. The shift in predator–prey dynamics was similar when predators and prey were co-exposed to copper. Overall, we show that copper-exposed coho are unresponsive to their chemosensory environment, unprepared to evade nearby predators, and significantly less likely to survive an attack sequence. Our findings contribute to a growing understanding of how common environmental contaminants alter the chemical ecology of aquatic communities.

Cilia- and Flagella-Associated Protein 69 Regulates Olfactory Transduction Kinetics in Mice

PubMed Central

Dong, Frederick N.

2017-01-01

Animals detect odorous chemicals through specialized olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) that transduce odorants into neural electrical signals. We identified a novel and evolutionarily conserved protein, cilia- and flagella-associated protein 69 (CFAP69), in mice that regulates olfactory transduction kinetics. In the olfactory epithelium, CFAP69 is enriched in OSN cilia, where olfactory transduction occurs. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that a large portion of CFAP69 can form Armadillo-type α-helical repeats, which may mediate protein–protein interactions. OSNs lacking CFAP69, remarkably, displayed faster kinetics in both the on and off phases of electrophysiological responses at both the neuronal ensemble level as observed by electroolfactogram and the single-cell level as observed by single-cell suction pipette recordings. In single-cell analysis, OSNs lacking CFAP69 showed faster response integration and were able to fire APs more faithfully to repeated odor stimuli. Furthermore, both male and female mutant mice that specifically lack CFAP69 in OSNs exhibited attenuated performance in a buried food pellet test when a background of the same odor to the food pellet was present even though they should have better temporal resolution of coding olfactory stimulation at the peripheral. Therefore, the role of CFAP69 in the olfactory system seems to be to allow the olfactory transduction machinery to work at a precisely regulated range of response kinetics for robust olfactory behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sensory receptor cells are generally thought to evolve to respond to sensory cues as fast as they can. This idea is consistent with mutational analyses in various sensory systems, where mutations of sensory receptor cells often resulted in reduced response size and slowed response kinetics. Contrary to this idea, we have found that there is a kinetic “damper” present in the olfactory transduction cascade of the mouse that slows down the response kinetics and, by doing so, it reduces the peripheral temporal resolution in coding odor stimuli and allows for robust olfactory behavior. This study should trigger a rethinking of the significance of the intrinsic speed of sensory transduction and the pattern of the peripheral coding of sensory stimuli. PMID:28495971

Antidepressants versus placebo for panic disorder in adults.

PubMed

Bighelli, Irene; Castellazzi, Mariasole; Cipriani, Andrea; Girlanda, Francesca; Guaiana, Giuseppe; Koesters, Markus; Turrini, Giulia; Furukawa, Toshi A; Barbui, Corrado

2018-04-05

Panic disorder is characterised by repeated, unexpected panic attacks, which represent a discrete period of fear or anxiety that has a rapid onset, reaches a peak within 10 minutes, and in which at least four of 13 characteristic symptoms are experienced, including racing heart, chest pain, sweating, shaking, dizziness, flushing, stomach churning, faintness and breathlessness. It is common in the general population with a lifetime prevalence of 1% to 4%. The treatment of panic disorder includes psychological and pharmacological interventions. Amongst pharmacological agents, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Association for Psychopharmacology consider antidepressants, mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as the first-line treatment for panic disorder, due to their more favourable adverse effect profile over monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Several classes of antidepressants have been studied and compared, but it is still unclear which antidepressants have a more or less favourable profile in terms of effectiveness and acceptability in the treatment of this condition. To assess the effects of antidepressants for panic disorder in adults, specifically:1. to determine the efficacy of antidepressants in alleviating symptoms of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in comparison to placebo;2. to review the acceptability of antidepressants in panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in comparison with placebo; and3. to investigate the adverse effects of antidepressants in panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, including the general prevalence of adverse effects, compared to placebo. We searched the Cochrane Common Mental Disorders' (CCMD) Specialised Register, and CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO up to May 2017. We handsearched reference lists of relevant papers and previous systematic reviews. All double-blind, randomised, controlled trials (RCTs) allocating adults with panic disorder to antidepressants or placebo. Two review authors independently checked eligibility and extracted data using a standard form. We entered data into Review Manager 5 using a double-check procedure. Information extracted included study characteristics, participant characteristics, intervention details and settings. Primary outcomes included failure to respond, measured by a range of response scales, and treatment acceptability, measured by total number of dropouts for any reason. Secondary outcomes included failure to remit, panic symptom scales, frequency of panic attacks, agoraphobia, general anxiety, depression, social functioning, quality of life and patient satisfaction, measured by various scales as defined in individual studies. We used GRADE to assess the quality of the evidence for each outcome MAIN RESULTS: Forty-one unique RCTs including 9377 participants overall, of whom we included 8252 in the 49 placebo-controlled arms of interest (antidepressant as monotherapy and placebo alone) in this review. The majority of studies were of moderate to low quality due to inconsistency, imprecision and unclear risk of selection and performance bias.We found low-quality evidence that revealed a benefit for antidepressants as a group in comparison with placebo in terms of efficacy measured as failure to respond (risk ratio (RR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 0.79; participants = 6500; studies = 30). The magnitude of effect corresponds to a number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) of 7 (95% CI 6 to 9): that means seven people would need to be treated with antidepressants in order for one to benefit. We observed the same finding when classes of antidepressants were compared with placebo.Moderate-quality evidence suggested a benefit for antidepressants compared to placebo when looking at number of dropouts due to any cause (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.97; participants = 7850; studies = 30). The magnitude of effect corresponds to a NNTB of 27 (95% CI 17 to 105); treating 27 people will result in one person fewer dropping out. Considering antidepressant classes, TCAs showed a benefit over placebo, while for SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs) we observed no difference.When looking at dropouts due to adverse effects, which can be considered as a measure of tolerability, we found moderate-quality evidence showing that antidepressants as a whole are less well tolerated than placebo. In particular, TCAs and SSRIs produced more dropouts due to adverse effects in comparison with placebo, while the confidence interval for SNRI, noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors (NRI) and other antidepressants were wide and included the possibility of no difference. The identified studies comprehensively address the objectives of the present review.Based on these results, antidepressants may be more effective than placebo in treating panic disorder. Efficacy can be quantified as a NNTB of 7, implying that seven people need to be treated with antidepressants in order for one to benefit. Antidepressants may also have benefit in comparison with placebo in terms of number of dropouts, but a less favourable profile in terms of dropout due to adverse effects. However, the tolerability profile varied between different classes of antidepressants.The choice of whether antidepressants should be prescribed in clinical practice cannot be made on the basis of this review.Limitations in results include funding of some studies by pharmaceutical companies, and only assessing short-term outcomes.Data from the present review will be included in a network meta-analysis of psychopharmacological treatment in panic disorder, which will hopefully provide further useful information on this issue.

Mental Health Care Use by Soldiers Conducting Counterinsurgency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

Attention - Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) was diagnosed exclusively in those soldiers who deployed on ADHD medication and required refills...Insomnia 8 3 ADHD 3 1 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 3 1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder 3 1 R/O Psychotic Disorder 3 1 Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia 2 1...of physical injury, expe- riencing traumatic events may trigger psychological disor- ders most notably, post-traumatic stress disorder

The vomeronasal system mediates sick conspecific avoidance.

PubMed

Boillat, Madlaina; Challet, Ludivine; Rossier, Daniel; Kan, Chenda; Carleton, Alan; Rodriguez, Ivan

2015-01-19

Although sociability offers many advantages, a major drawback is the increased risk of exposure to contagious pathogens, like parasites, viruses, or bacteria. Social species have evolved various behavioral strategies reducing the probability of pathogen exposure. In rodents, sick conspecific avoidance can be induced by olfactory cues emitted by parasitized or infected conspecifics. The neural circuits involved in this behavior remain largely unknown. We observed that olfactory cues present in bodily products of mice in an acute inflammatory state or infected with a viral pathogen are aversive to conspecifics. We found that these chemical signals trigger neural activity in the vomeronasal system, an olfactory subsystem controlling various innate behaviors. Supporting the functional relevance of these observations, we show that preference toward healthy individuals is abolished in mice with impaired vomeronasal function. These findings reveal a novel function played by the vomeronasal system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calmodulin permanently associates with rat olfactory CNG channels under native conditions.

PubMed

Bradley, Jonathan; Bönigk, Wolfgang; Yau, King-Wai; Frings, Stephan

2004-07-01

An important mechanism by which vertebrate olfactory sensory neurons rapidly adapt to odorants is feedback modulation of the Ca(2+)-permeable cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) transduction channels. Extensive heterologous studies of homomeric CNGA2 channels have led to a molecular model of channel modulation based on the binding of calcium-calmodulin to a site on the cytoplasmic amino terminus of CNGA2. Native rat olfactory CNG channels, however, are heteromeric complexes of three homologous but distinct subunits. Notably, in heteromeric channels, we found no role for CNGA2 in feedback modulation. Instead, an IQ-type calmodulin-binding site on CNGB1b and a similar but previously unidentified site on CNGA4 are necessary and sufficient. These sites seem to confer binding of Ca(2+)-free calmodulin (apocalmodulin), which is then poised to trigger inhibition of native channels in the presence of Ca(2+).

Depression does not affect the treatment outcome of CBT for panic and agoraphobia: results from a multicenter randomized trial.

PubMed

Emmrich, Angela; Beesdo-Baum, Katja; Gloster, Andrew T; Knappe, Susanne; Höfler, Michael; Arolt, Volker; Deckert, Jürgen; Gerlach, Alexander L; Hamm, Alfons; Kircher, Tilo; Lang, Thomas; Richter, Jan; Ströhle, Andreas; Zwanzger, Peter; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich

2012-01-01

Controversy surrounds the questions whether co-occurring depression has negative effects on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) outcomes in patients with panic disorder (PD) and agoraphobia (AG) and whether treatment for PD and AG (PD/AG) also reduces depressive symptomatology. Post-hoc analyses of randomized clinical trial data of 369 outpatients with primary PD/AG (DSM-IV-TR criteria) treated with a 12-session manualized CBT (n = 301) and a waitlist control group (n = 68). Patients with comorbid depression (DSM-IV-TR major depression, dysthymia, or both: 43.2% CBT, 42.7% controls) were compared to patients without depression regarding anxiety and depression outcomes (Clinical Global Impression Scale [CGI], Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A], number of panic attacks, Mobility Inventory [MI], Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory) at post-treatment and follow-up (categorical). Further, the role of severity of depressive symptoms on anxiety/depression outcome measures was examined (dimensional). Comorbid depression did not have a significant overall effect on anxiety outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up, except for slightly diminished post-treatment effect sizes for clinician-rated CGI (p = 0.03) and HAM-A (p = 0.008) when adjusting for baseline anxiety severity. In the dimensional model, higher baseline depression scores were associated with lower effect sizes at post-treatment (except for MI), but not at follow-up (except for HAM-A). Depressive symptoms improved irrespective of the presence of depression. Exposure-based CBT for primary PD/AG effectively reduces anxiety and depressive symptoms, irrespective of comorbid depression or depressive symptomatology. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Event-triggered distributed filtering over sensor networks with deception attacks and partial measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, Xianye; Dong, Hongli; Han, Fei; Li, Gongfa

2018-07-01

This paper is concerned with the distributed filtering problem for a class of time-varying systems subject to deception attacks and event-triggering protocols. Due to the bandwidth limitation, an event-triggered communication strategy is adopted to alleviate the data transmission pressure in the algorithm implementation process. The partial nodes-based filtering problem is considered, where only a partial of nodes can measure the information of the plant. Meanwhile, the measurement information possibly suffers the deception attacks in the transmission process. Sufficient conditions can be established such that the error dynamics satisfies the prescribed average ? performance constraints. The parameters of designed filters can be calculated by solving a series of recursive linear matrix inequalities. A simulation example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed filtering method in this paper.

Using community level strategies to reduce asthma attacks triggered by outdoor air pollution: a case crossover analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Evidence indicates that asthma attacks can be triggered by exposure to ambient air pollutants, however, detailed pollution information is missing from asthma action plans. Asthma is commonly associated with four criteria pollutants with standards derived by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Since multiple pollutants trigger attacks and risks depend upon city-specific mixtures of pollutants, there is lack of specific guidance to reduce exposure. Until multi-pollutant statistical modeling fully addresses this gap, some guidance on pollutant attack risk is required. This study examines the risks from exposure to the asthma-related pollutants in a large metropolitan city and defines the city-specific association between attacks and pollutant mixtures. Our goal is that city-specific pollution risks be incorporated into individual asthma action plans as additional guidance to prevent attacks. Methods Case-crossover analysis and conditional logistic regression were used to measure the association between ozone, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide pollution and 11,754 emergency medical service ambulance treated asthma attacks in Houston, Texas from 2004-2011. Both single and multi-pollutant models are presented. Results In Houston, ozone and nitrogen dioxide are important triggers (RR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.09), (RR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.15) with 20 and 8 ppb increase in ozone and nitrogen dioxide, respectively, in a multi-pollutant model. Both pollutants are simultaneously high at certain times of the year. The risk attributed to these pollutants differs when they are considered together, especially as concentrations increase. Cumulative exposure for ozone (0-2 day lag) is of concern, whereas for nitrogen dioxide the concern is with single day exposure. Persons at highest risk are aged 46-66, African Americans, and males. Conclusions Accounting for cumulative and concomitant outdoor pollutant exposure is important to effectively attribute risk for triggering of an asthma attack, especially as concentrations increase. Improved asthma action plans for Houston individuals should warn of these pollutants, their trends, correlation and cumulative effects. Our Houston based study identifies nitrogen dioxide levels and the three-day exposure to ozone to be of concern whereas current single pollutant based national standards do not. PMID:25012280

Duration of untreated illness in panic disorder: a poor outcome risk factor?

PubMed

Altamura, A Carlo; Santini, Annalisa; Salvadori, Daniele; Mundo, Emanuela

2005-12-01

The aim of this naturalistic study was to evaluate the impact of the duration of untreated illness (DUI) on the outcome and treatment response of panic disorder (PD). Ninety-six outpatients with PD who underwent an 8-week open-label treatment with serotonergic antidepressants were subdivided into two subgroups: those with DUI 1 year. The main baseline demographic and clinical variables were calculated and compared between the two subgroups of patients (chi-square test or t-test for independent samples). The effect of the antipanic medication was evaluated by analysis of variance with repeated measures considering Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Clinical Global Impression rating scores, and the number of panic attacks/week as the dependent variables (outcome measures), while the subgroups were the independent ones. Comorbidity with onset later than PD was also considered. There were no differences between patients with DUI 1 year with respect to the outcome measures considered. However, patients with DUI > 1 year (N = 64) had a higher frequency of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) with onset later than PD (p = 0.006). Results from this study suggest that the DUI may be a predictor of the development of comorbid MDD in PD. Further investigations on larger samples and with longer follow-up are warranted.

Duration of untreated illness in panic disorder: a poor outcome risk factor?

PubMed Central

Altamura, A Carlo; Santini, Annalisa; Salvadori, Daniele; Mundo, Emanuela

2005-01-01

Objective The aim of this naturalistic study was to evaluate the impact of the duration of untreated illness (DUI) on the outcome and treatment response of panic disorder (PD). Methods Ninety-six outpatients with PD who underwent an 8-week open-label treatment with serotonergic antidepressants were subdivided into two subgroups: those with DUI ≤ 1 year and those with DUI > 1 year. The main baseline demographic and clinical variables were calculated and compared between the two subgroups of patients (chi-square test or t-test for independent samples). The effect of the antipanic medication was evaluated by analysis of variance with repeated measures considering Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Clinical Global Impression rating scores, and the number of panic attacks/week as the dependent variables (outcome measures), while the subgroups were the independent ones. Comorbidity with onset later than PD was also considered. Results There were no differences between patients with DUI ≤ 1 year and patients with DUI > 1 year with respect to the outcome measures considered. However, patients with DUI > 1 year (N = 64) had a higher frequency of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) with onset later than PD (p = 0.006). Conclusions Results from this study suggest that the DUI may be a predictor of the development of comorbid MDD in PD. Further investigations on larger samples and with longer follow-up are warranted. PMID:18568114

Alpha absolute power measurement in panic disorder with agoraphobia patients.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Marcele Regine; Velasques, Bruna Brandão; Freire, Rafael C; Cagy, Maurício; Marques, Juliana Bittencourt; Teixeira, Silmar; Rangé, Bernard P; Piedade, Roberto; Ribeiro, Pedro; Nardi, Antonio Egidio; Akiskal, Hagop Souren

2013-10-01

Panic attacks are thought to be a result from a dysfunctional coordination of cortical and brainstem sensory information leading to heightened amygdala activity with subsequent neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral activation. Prefrontal areas may be responsible for inhibitory top-down control processes and alpha synchronization seems to reflect this modulation. The objective of this study was to measure frontal absolute alpha-power with qEEG in 24 subjects with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PDA) compared to 21 healthy controls. qEEG data were acquired while participants watched a computer simulation, consisting of moments classified as "high anxiety"(HAM) and "low anxiety" (LAM). qEEG data were also acquired during two rest conditions, before and after the computer simulation display. We observed a higher absolute alpha-power in controls when compared to the PDA patients while watching the computer simulation. The main finding was an interaction between the moment and group factors on frontal cortex. Our findings suggest that the decreased alpha-power in the frontal cortex for the PDA group may reflect a state of high excitability. Our results suggest a possible deficiency in top-down control processes of anxiety reflected by a low absolute alpha-power in the PDA group while watching the computer simulation and they highlight that prefrontal regions and frontal region nearby the temporal area are recruited during the exposure to anxiogenic stimuli. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal course of panic disorder with and without agoraphobia using the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC).

PubMed

Nay, William; Brown, Ruth; Roberson-Nay, Roxann

2013-06-30

Few naturalistic, longitudinal studies of panic disorder with and without agoraphobia (PD/PDA) exist, limiting our knowledge of the temporal rates of incidence, relapse, and chronicity, or the factors that predict category transition. Data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) wave 1 (n=43,093) and wave 2 (n=34,653) were utilized to determine transitional rates, and predictors of category transitions, over a 3-year period. Analyses revealed very high 3-year remission rates for PD and PDA (75% and 67%, respectively), although relapse also was relatively frequent (PD=12%; PDA=21%). Logistic regression revealed previous history of panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder/major depression (GAD/MDD), nicotine dependence, female sex, younger age, and major financial crises to be reliable predictors of incidence and relapse. The direction and magnitude of association of many predictor variables were similar for PD and PDA, with notable exceptions for social anxiety and romantic relationship factors. Clinicians should be aware of the relapsing-remitting nature of PD and PDA and, thus, take caution to not reduce or eliminate effective treatments prematurely. Similarly, the current study suggests clinicians pay particular attention to concurrent factors relevant to relapse in PD/PDA that may also be clinically addressed (e.g., co-morbid MDD/GAD and nicotine dependence). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is stress a trigger factor for migraine?

PubMed

Schoonman, G G; Evers, D J; Ballieux, B E; de Geus, E J; de Kloet, E R; Terwindt, G M; van Dijk, J G; Ferrari, M D

2007-06-01

Although mental stress is commonly considered to be an important trigger factor for migraine, experimental evidence for this belief is yet lacking. To study the temporal relationship between changes in stress-related parameters (both subjective and objective) and the onset of a migraine attack. This was a prospective, ambulatory study in 17 migraine patients. We assessed changes in perceived stress and objective biological measures for stress (saliva cortisol, heart rate average [HRA], and heart rate variability [low-frequency power and high-frequency power]) over 4 days prior to the onset of spontaneous migraine attacks. Analyses were repeated for subgroups of patients according to whether or not they felt their migraine to be triggered by stress. There were no significant temporal changes over time for the whole group in perceived stress (p=0.50), morning cortisol (p=0.73), evening cortisol (p=0.55), HRA (p=0.83), low-frequency power (p=0.99) and high-frequency power (p=0.97) prior to or during an attack. Post hoc analysis of the subgroup of nine stress-sensitive patients who felt that >2/3 of their migraine attacks were triggered by psychosocial stress, revealed an increase for perceived stress (p=0.04) but no changes in objective stress response measures. At baseline, this group also showed higher scores on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (p=0.003) and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (p=0.001) compared to non-stress-sensitive patients. Although stress-sensitive patients, in contrast to non-stress-sensitive patients, may perceive more stress in the days before an impending migraine attack, we failed to detect any objective evidence for a biological stress response before or during migraine attacks.

Daily Stress as a Trigger of Migraine Attacks: Results of Thirteen Single-Subject Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohler, Thomas; Haimerl, Christianne

1990-01-01

Six-month longitudinal study examined whether migraine attacks were preceded by or occurred on stressful days. Every evening, 13 patients completed questionnaires assessing daily stress. Analyses on single-subject level tested when attacks occurred. Increased stress was generally not found for Days 2 and 3 before an attack, but often for Day 1 and…

Migraine

MedlinePlus

... Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger attacks. Food additives. The sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in many foods, may trigger migraines. Drinks. Alcohol, especially wine, and ...

Presynaptic gain control by endogenous cotransmission of dopamine and GABA in the olfactory bulb.

PubMed

Vaaga, Christopher E; Yorgason, Jordan T; Williams, John T; Westbrook, Gary L

2017-03-01

In the olfactory bulb, lateral inhibition mediated by local juxtaglomerular interneurons has been proposed as a gain control mechanism, important for decorrelating odorant responses. Among juxtaglomerular interneurons, short axon cells are unique as dual-transmitter neurons that release dopamine and GABA. To examine their intraglomerular function, we expressed channelrhodopsin under control of the DAT-cre promoter and activated olfactory afferents within individual glomeruli. Optical stimulation of labeled cells triggered endogenous dopamine release as measured by cyclic voltammetry and GABA release as measured by whole cell GABA A receptor currents. Activation of short axon cells reduced the afferent presynaptic release probability via D 2 and GABA B receptor activation, resulting in reduced spiking in both mitral and external tufted cells. Our results suggest that short axon cells influence glomerular activity not only by direct inhibition of external tufted cells but also by inhibition of afferent inputs to external tufted and mitral cells. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sensory systems, including the olfactory system, encode information across a large dynamic range, making synaptic mechanisms of gain control critical to proper function. Here we demonstrate that a dual-transmitter interneuron in the olfactory bulb controls the gain of intraglomerular afferent input via two distinct mechanisms, presynaptic inhibition as well as inhibition of a principal neuron subtype, and thereby potently controls the synaptic gain of afferent inputs. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

NON-PARALYTIC POLIOMYELITIS IN THE CHIMPANZEE

PubMed Central

Bodian, David; Howe, Howard A.

1945-01-01

1. Thirteen cases of non-paralytic poliomyelitis infection in chimpanzees are described. Nine of these animals were excreting virus in. their stools at periods of from 3 days to 8 weeks following inoculation. 2. All animals killed during the acute stage showed lesions in the brain distributed in centers usually involved in, and compatible with the presence of, poliomyelitic infection. In 2 chimpanzees typical cord lesions were also present. No lesions were found in the brains of 4 control chimpanzees which had had no virus contact as far as known. The occurrence of a purely systemic or peripheral form of poliomyelitis, without lesions in the central nervous system, has thus not been established. 3. Four instances of arrest of the pathological process near the portal of entry into the brain, indicating partial resistance, are included in this series. One was a chimpanzee inoculated intranasally (A1-75) who had severe tuberculosis at the time of inoculation. The second was an animal convalescent after intracerebral inoculation (A1-74), who sustained a second infection limited to the olfactory bulbs when inoculated intranasally 2 months later with homologous virus. The third (A5-01) was inoculated orally with human stool, but contammation of the olfactory area resulted with infection of the olfactory bulbs and of the forebrain; virus was present in the stools of this animal. The fourth chimpanzee (A48) had suffered an initial non-paralytic attack after stomach tube inoculation, followed by a second attack about 9 months later after oral inoculation with part of the same virus-containing pool (human stools). The second attack consisted of a facial paralysis, with arrest of the pathological process near the facial nucleus. 4. Although cerebral lesions were light in some of the non-paralytic and inapparent infections, their presence in all indicates the action of virus on the central nervous system with the possibihty of production of at least partial local resistance. It is not unreasonable to assume that this may occur in inapparent human cases, although the point is, of course, not susceptible to critical proof in man. 5. The degree of severity of pathological involvement in non-paralytic cases varies from a fully developed distribution of lesions in brain and spinal cord in some chimpanzees, to mild and scattered lesions in the brains of others. This suggests that if the extent of pathological reaction is an indicator of subsequent local resistance to reinfection, the degree of protection afforded by a non-paralytic attack of poliomyelitis to even homologous virus must be variable. PMID:19871456

Cyclic vomiting associated with excessive dopamine in Riley-day syndrome.

PubMed

Norcliffe-Kaufmann, Lucy J; Axelrod, Felicia B; Kaufmann, Horacio

2013-02-01

To analyze the neurochemical profile during the recurrent attacks of nausea and vomiting in patients with Riley-day syndrome. One of the most disabling features of patients with Riley-day syndrome are recurrent attacks of severe nausea/retching/vomiting accompanied by hypertension, tachycardia, and skin flushing, usually triggered by emotional or other stresses. We monitored blood pressure and heart rate and measured plasma catecholamines during typical dysautonomic crises triggered by emotionally charged situations. For comparison, measurements were repeated at follow-up after the symptoms had resolved and the patients were feeling calm and well. During a typical attack, patients were hypertensive and tachycardic. In all patients, circulating levels of norepinephrine (P < 0.002) and dopamine (P < 0.007) increased significantly. Activation of dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone may explain the cyclic nausea/retching/vomiting of patients with Riley-day syndrome.

Anxiety management training for anxiety states: positive compared with negative self-statements.

PubMed

Ramm, E; Marks, I M; Yuksel, S; Stern, R S

1982-04-01

Twelve patients complaining of chronic free-floating anxiety, usually also with panic attacks, were assigned at random to treatment by six hour-long sessions of anxiety-management training, either with positive or with negative self-statements, given over six weeks. Patients in both treatment conditions improved, with a small trend favouring positive over negative self-instruction, especially at follow-up. It is unclear how much self-instruction, rather than therapeutic attention or mere passage of time, accounted for the bulk of the modest improvement obtained.

Cholecystokinin: A multi-functional molecular switch of neuronal circuits

PubMed Central

Lee, Soo Yeun; Soltesz, Ivan

2010-01-01

Cholecystokinin (CCK), a peptide originally discovered in the gastrointestinal tract, is one of the most the abundant and widely distributed neuropeptides in the brain. In spite of its abundance, recent data indicate that that CCK modulates intrinsic neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in a surprisingly cell-type specific manner, acting as a key molecular switch to regulate the functional output of neuronal circuits. The central importance of CCK in neuronal networks is also reflected in its involvement in a variety of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders including panic attacks and epilepsy. PMID:21154912

Connexions between the dorsomedial division of the ventromedial hypothalamus and the dorsal periaqueductal grey matter are critical in the elaboration of hypothalamically mediated panic-like behaviour.

PubMed

Ullah, Farhad; Dos Anjos-Garcia, Tayllon; Mendes-Gomes, Joyce; Elias-Filho, Daoud Hibrahim; Falconi-Sobrinho, Luiz Luciano; Freitas, Renato Leonardo de; Khan, Asmat Ullah; Oliveira, Ricardo de; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2017-02-15

The electrical and chemical stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal grey matter (dPAG) elicits panic-like explosive escape behaviour. Although neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) seem to organise oriented escape behaviour, when stimulated with excitatory amino acids at higher doses, non-oriented/explosive escape reactions can also be displayed. The aim of this work was to examine the importance of reciprocal projections between the VMH and the dPAG for the organisation of this panic-like behaviour. The chemical stimulation of the VMH with 9nmol of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) elicited oriented and non-oriented escape behaviours. The pretreatment of the dPAG with a non-selective blocker of synaptic contacts, cobalt chloride (CoCl 2 ), followed by stimulation of the dorsomedial part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (dmVMH) with 9nmol of NMDA, abolished the non-oriented/explosive escape and freezing responses elicited by the stimulation of the dmVMH. Nonetheless, the rats still showed oriented escape to the burrow. On the other hand, when the blockade of the dmVMH with CoCl 2 was followed by stimulation of the dPAG with 6nmol of NMDA, no effect was observed either on the non-oriented/explosive escape or on the freezing behaviour organised by the dPAG. Furthermore, Fos protein-labelled neurons were observed in the dPAG after the stimulation of the dmVMH with 9nmol of NMDA. Additionally, when the anterograde neurotracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was deposited in the dmVMH subsequent stimulation of the dmVMH produced BDA-labelled neural fibres with terminal boutons surrounding Fos-labelled neurons in the dPAG, suggesting synaptic contacts between dmVMH and dPAG neurons for eliciting panic-like behavioural responses. The current data suggest that the dPAG is the key structure that organises non-oriented/explosive escape reactions associated with panic attack-like behaviours. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Body Odor Trait Disgust Sensitivity Predicts Perception of Sweat Biosamples.

PubMed

Liuzza, Marco Tullio; Olofsson, Jonas K; Sabiniewicz, Agnieszka; Sorokowska, Agnieszka

2017-07-01

Body odors are potent triggers of disgust and regulate social behaviors in many species. The role of olfaction in disgust-associated behaviors has received scant attention in the research literature, in part because olfactory disgust assessments have required laboratory testing with odors. We have devised the "Body Odor Disgust Scale" (BODS) to facilitate research on olfactory disgust. In this study, we evaluated whether individual differences in BODS scores would be associated with the perception of disgust for sweat samples in a laboratory setting. Results show that BODS was a strong predictor of disgust ratings of sweat samples even when controlling for general disgust sensitivity. In contrast, odor intensity ratings were unrelated to BODS scores. Our findings suggest that the BODS scores reflect body odor disgust perception. The BODS scale might facilitate research on olfactory disgust responses and associated behaviors. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Activation of raphe nuclei triggers rapid and distinct effects on parallel olfactory bulb output channels

PubMed Central

Kapoor, Vikrant; Provost, Allison; Agarwal, Prateek; Murthy, Venkatesh N.

2015-01-01

The serotonergic raphe nuclei are involved in regulating brain states over time-scales of minutes and hours. We examined more rapid effects of serotonergic activation on two classes of principal neurons in the mouse olfactory bulb, mitral and tufted cells, which send olfactory information to distinct targets. Brief stimulation of the raphe nuclei led to excitation of tufted cells at rest and potentiation of their odor responses. While mitral cells at rest were also excited by raphe activation, their odor responses were bidirectionally modulated, leading to improved pattern separation of odors. In vitro whole-cell recordings revealed that specific optogenetic activation of raphe axons affected bulbar neurons through dual release of serotonin and glutamate. Therefore, the raphe nuclei, in addition to their role in neuromodulation of brain states, are also involved in fast, sub-second top-down modulation, similar to cortical feedback. This modulation can selectively and differentially sensitize or decorrelate distinct output channels. PMID:26752161

Review of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Periodic Paralysis

PubMed Central

Fontaine, Bertrand; Hanna, Michael G.; Johnson, Nicholas E.; Kissel, John T.; Sansone, Valeria A.; Shieh, Perry B.; Tawil, Rabi N.; Trivedi, Jaya; Cannon, Stephen C.; Griggs, Robert C.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Periodic paralyses (PPs) are rare neuromuscular disorders caused by mutations in skeletal muscle sodium, calcium, and potassium channel genes. PPs include hypokalemic paralysis, hyperkalemic paralysis, and Andersen‐Tawil syndrome. Common features of PP include autosomal dominant inheritance, onset typically in the first or second decades, episodic attacks of flaccid weakness, which are often triggered by diet or rest after exercise. Diagnosis is based on the characteristic clinic presentation then confirmed by genetic testing. In the absence of an identified genetic mutation, documented low or high potassium levels during attacks or a decrement on long exercise testing support diagnosis. The treatment approach should include both management of acute attacks and prevention of attacks. Treatments include behavioral interventions directed at avoidance of triggers, modification of potassium levels, diuretics, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Muscle Nerve 57: 522–530, 2018 PMID:29125635

Pretyphoon panic attack history moderates the relationship between degree of typhoon exposure and posttyphoon PTSD and depression in a Vietnamese sample.

PubMed

Berenz, Erin C; Trapp, Stephen K; Acierno, Ron; Richardson, Lisa; Kilpatrick, Dean G; Tran, Trinh Luong; Trung, Lam Tu; Tam, Nguyen Thanh; Tuan, Tran; Buoi, La Thi; Ha, Tran Thu; Thach, Tran Duc; Gaboury, Mario; Amstadter, Ananda B

2013-05-01

Predisaster risk factors are related to postdisaster psychopathology even at relatively low levels of disaster exposure. A history of panic attacks (PA) may convey risk for postdisaster psychopathology and has been linked to a wide range of psychiatric disorders in Western and non-Western samples. The present study examined the main and interactive effects of pretyphoon PA and level of typhoon exposure in the onset of posttyphoon posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a Vietnamese sample of typhoon survivors. Typhoon Xangsane interrupted a Vietnamese epidemiological mental health needs assessment, providing a rare opportunity for preand posttyphoon assessments. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses evaluated whether the main and interactive effects of typhoon exposure severity and PA history were significantly related to posttyphoon diagnoses, above and beyond age, health status, pretyphoon psychiatric screening results, and history of potentially traumatic events. PA history moderated the relationship between severity of typhoon exposure and posttyphoon PTSD and MDD, but not GAD. Specifically, greater degree of exposure to the typhoon was significantly related to increased likelihood of postdisaster PTSD and MDD among individuals without a history of PA, above and beyond variance accounted for by pretyphoon psychiatric screening results. Individuals with a history of PA evidenced greater risk for postdisaster PTSD and MDD regardless of severity of typhoon exposure. Preexisting PA may affect the nature of the relationship between disaster characteristics and prevalence of postdisaster PTSD and MDD within Vietnamese samples. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Anxiety Diagnoses in Smokers Seeking Cessation Treatment: Relations with Tobacco Dependence, Withdrawal, Outcome, and Response to Treatment

PubMed Central

Piper, Megan E.; Cook, Jessica W.; Schlam, Tanya R.; Jorenby, Douglas E.; Baker, Timothy B.

2010-01-01

Aims To understand the relations amongst anxiety disorders and tobacco dependence, withdrawal symptoms, response to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, and ability to quit smoking. Design Randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants received six 10-minute individual counseling sessions and either: placebo, bupropion SR, nicotine patch, nicotine lozenge, bupropion SR+nicotine lozenge, or nicotine patch+nicotine lozenge. Setting Two urban research sites. Participants Data were collected from 1504 daily smokers (>9 cigarettes per day) who were motivated to quit smoking and did not report current diagnoses of schizophrenia or psychosis or bupropion use. Measurements Participants completed baseline assessments, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and ecological momentary assessments for two weeks. Findings A structured clinical interview identified participants who ever met criteria for a panic attack (n=455), social anxiety (n=199), or generalized anxiety disorder (n=99), and those who qualified for no anxiety diagnosis (n=891). Smokers with anxiety disorders reported higher levels of nicotine dependence and pre-quit withdrawal symptoms. Those ever meeting criteria for panic attacks or social anxiety disorder showed greater quit-day negative affect. Smokers ever meeting criteria for anxiety disorders were less likely to be abstinent at 8-weeks and 6-months postquit and showed no benefit from single-agent or combination-agent pharmacotherapies. Conclusions Anxiety diagnoses were common amongst treatment-seeking smokers and were related to increased motivation to smoke, elevated withdrawal, lack of response to pharmacotherapy, and impaired ability to quit smoking. These findings could guide treatment assignment algorithms and treatment development for smokers with anxiety diagnoses. PMID:20973856

Noninvasive brain stimulation by radioelectric asymmetric conveyor in the treatment of agoraphobia: open-label, naturalistic study

PubMed Central

Mannu, Piero; Rinaldi, Salvatore; Fontani, Vania; Castagna, Alessandro; Margotti, Matteo Lotti

2011-01-01

Background Agoraphobia is considered to be the most serious complication of panic disorder. It involves progressive development of debilitating anxiety symptoms related to being in situations where one would be extremely embarrassed and could not be rescued in the case of a panic attack. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of noninvasive brain stimulation using a radioelectric asymmetric conveyor (REAC) for agoraphobia. Patients and methods Twenty-three patients (3 males and 20 females) suffering from agoraphobia and without a history of panic disorder were evaluated by a psychiatrist using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, and the Agoraphobia Scale (AS). The patients were subjected to two 18-session cycles of noninvasive brain stimulation with the REAC, according to an established therapeutic protocol called neuropsycho-physical optimization. Results Analyzing the anxiety and avoidance parameters of the AS after the first and second cycles of REAC treatment revealed variation in levels of response to treatment, including weak (AS item 7), moderate (AS items 10 and 13), and good responses (AS items 1–6, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 14–20). Conclusion These results highlight the potential of the REAC to treat complex clinical situations such as agoraphobia, which is typically resistant to pharmacologic treatments. Furthermore, these data show the advantages of REAC treatment, even compared with modern cognitive behavioral therapy, including a relatively rapid and “stable” clinical response (just over 6 months) and economic cost. PMID:22163156

Brain, Craniofacial, and Dental Lesions of a Free-ranging Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Implicated in a Human Attack in Minnesota, USA.

PubMed

Schwabenlander, Marc; Stepaniuk, Kevin; Carstensen, Michelle; Armién, Aníbal G

2016-01-01

We describe significant brain, craniofacial, and dental lesions in a free-ranging wolf (Canis lupus) involved in a human attack. On postmortem examination, the wolf presented asymmetric atrophy and bone remodeling affecting the mandible, incisive, maxilla, lacrimal, palatine, frontal, and ethmoid bones. There was an asymmetrical skeletal malocclusion and dental abnormalities including rotated, malpositioned, partially erupted teeth, and an odontogenic cyst associated with an unerupted canine tooth. Brain changes were bilateral loss and atrophy of extensive cortex regions including olfactory bulb, peduncles, and tract, and the frontal lobe. We highlight the relevance of a thorough postmortem examination of wildlife to elucidate disease-based abnormal behavior as the reason for human-animal conflict.

Anti-Aversive Effects of Cannabidiol on Innate Fear-Induced Behaviors Evoked by an Ethological Model of Panic Attacks Based on a Prey vs the Wild Snake Epicrates cenchria crassus Confrontation Paradigm

PubMed Central

Uribe-Mariño, Andrés; Francisco, Audrey; Castiblanco-Urbina, Maria Angélica; Twardowschy, André; Salgado-Rohner, Carlos José; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Hallak, Jaime Eduardo Cecílio; Zuardi, Antônio Waldo; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2012-01-01

Several pharmacological targets have been proposed as modulators of panic-like reactions. However, interest should be given to other potential therapeutic neurochemical agents. Recent attention has been given to the potential anxiolytic properties of cannabidiol, because of its complex actions on the endocannabinoid system together with its effects on other neurotransmitter systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cannabidiol on innate fear-related behaviors evoked by a prey vs predator paradigm. Male Swiss mice were submitted to habituation in an arena containing a burrow and subsequently pre-treated with intraperitoneal administrations of vehicle or cannabidiol. A constrictor snake was placed inside the arena, and defensive and non-defensive behaviors were recorded. Cannabidiol caused a clear anti-aversive effect, decreasing explosive escape and defensive immobility behaviors outside and inside the burrow. These results show that cannabidiol modulates defensive behaviors evoked by the presence of threatening stimuli, even in a potentially safe environment following a fear response, suggesting a panicolytic effect. PMID:21918503

The effects of physiological arousal on cognitive and psychomotor performance among individuals with high and low anxiety sensitivity.

PubMed

Barnard, Kirsten E; Broman-Fulks, Joshua J; Michael, Kurt D; Webb, Rosemary M; Zawilinski, Laci L

2011-03-01

Information-processing models of anxiety posit that anxiety pathology is associated with processing biases that consume cognitive resources and may detract from one's ability to process environmental stimuli. Previous research has consistently indicated that high anxiety has a negative impact on cognitive and psychomotor performance. Anxiety sensitivity, or the fear of anxiety and anxiety-related arousal sensations, is an anxiety vulnerability factor that has been shown to play a role in the development and maintenance of panic attacks and panic disorder. However, relatively little is known regarding the potential impact of anxiety sensitivity on performance. In the present study, 105 college students who scored either high (≥ 24) or low (≤ 14) on the Anxiety Sensitivity Index were randomly assigned to complete a series of arousal-induction tasks or no activity, followed immediately by three cognitive and psychomotor performance tasks: digit span - backward, math fluency, and grooved pegboard. Results indicated that participants with high anxiety sensitivity performed comparably to individuals with low anxiety sensitivity on each task, regardless of arousal level.

Long-term avoidance memory formation is associated with a transient increase in mushroom body synaptic complexes in leaf-cutting ants

PubMed Central

Falibene, Agustina; Roces, Flavio; Rössler, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

Long-term behavioral changes related to learning and experience have been shown to be associated with structural remodeling in the brain. Leaf-cutting ants learn to avoid previously preferred plants after they have proved harmful for their symbiotic fungus, a process that involves long-term olfactory memory. We studied the dynamics of brain microarchitectural changes after long-term olfactory memory formation following avoidance learning in Acromyrmex ambiguus. After performing experiments to control for possible neuronal changes related to age and body size, we quantified synaptic complexes (microglomeruli, MG) in olfactory regions of the mushroom bodies (MBs) at different times after learning. Long-term avoidance memory formation was associated with a transient change in MG densities. Two days after learning, MG density was higher than before learning. At days 4 and 15 after learning—when ants still showed plant avoidance—MG densities had decreased to the initial state. The structural reorganization of MG triggered by long-term avoidance memory formation clearly differed from changes promoted by pure exposure to and collection of novel plants with distinct odors. Sensory exposure by the simultaneous collection of several, instead of one, non-harmful plant species resulted in a decrease in MG densities in the olfactory lip. We hypothesize that while sensory exposure leads to MG pruning in the MB olfactory lip, the formation of long-term avoidance memory involves an initial growth of new MG followed by subsequent pruning. PMID:25904854

Enterochromaffin cells of the human gut: sensors for spices and odorants.

PubMed

Braun, Thomas; Voland, Petra; Kunz, Lars; Prinz, Christian; Gratzl, Manfred

2007-05-01

Release of serotonin from mucosal enterochromaffin cells triggered by luminal substances is the key event in the regulation of gut motility and secretion. We were interested to know whether nasal olfactory receptors are also expressed in the human gut mucosa by enterochromaffin cells and whether their ligands and odorants present in spices, fragrances, detergents, and cosmetics cause serotonin release. Receptor expression was studied by the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method in human mucosal enterochromaffin cells isolated by laser microdissection and in a cell line derived from human enterochromaffin cells. Activation of the cells by odorants was investigated by digital fluorescence imaging using the fluorescent Ca(2+) indicator Fluo-4. Serotonin release was measured in culture supernatants by a serotonin enzyme immunoassay and amperometry using carbon fiber microelectrodes placed on single cells. We found expression of 4 olfactory receptors in microdissected human mucosal enterochromaffin cells and in a cell line derived from human enterochromaffin cells. Ca(2+) imaging studies revealed that odorant ligands of the identified olfactory receptors cause Ca(2+) influx, elevation of intracellular free Ca(2+) levels, and, consequently, serotonin release. Our results show that odorants present in the luminal environment of the gut may stimulate serotonin release via olfactory receptors present in human enterochromaffin cells. Serotonin controls both gut motility and secretion and is implicated in pathologic conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome. Thus, olfactory receptors are potential novel targets for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and motility disorders.

Characterization of antennal sensilla, larvae morphology and olfactory genes of Melipona scutellaris stingless bee

PubMed Central

de Carvalho, Washington João; Fujimura, Patrícia Tieme; Bonetti, Ana Maria; Goulart, Luiz Ricardo; Cloonan, Kevin; da Silva, Neide Maria; Araújo, Ester Cristina Borges; Ueira-Vieira, Carlos; Leal, Walter S.

2017-01-01

There is growing evidence in the literature suggesting that caste differentiation in the stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris, and other bees in the genus Melipona, is triggered by environmental signals, particularly a primer pheromone. With the proper amount of food and a chemical stimulus, 25% of females emerge as queens, in agreement with a long-standing “two loci/two alleles model” proposed in the 1950s. We surmised that these larvae must be equipped with an olfactory system for reception of these chemical signals. Here we describe for the first time the diversity of antennal sensilla in adults and the morphology of larvae of M. scutellaris. Having found evidence for putative olfactory sensilla in larvae, we next asked whether olfactory proteins were expressed in larvae. Since the molecular basis of M. scutellaris is still unknown, we cloned olfactory genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSP) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) using M. scutellaris cDNA template and primers designed on the basis CSPs and OBPs previously reported from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. We cloned two CSP and two OBP genes and then attempted to express the proteins encoded by these genes. With a recombinant OBP, MscuOBP8, and a combinatorial single-chain variable fragment antibody library, we generated anti-MscuOBP8 monoclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry we demonstrated that the anti-MscuOBP8 binds specifically to the MscuOBP8. Next, we found evidence that MscuOBP8 is expressed in M. scutellaris larvae and it is located in the mandibular region, thus further supporting the hypothesis of olfactory function in immature stages. Lastly, molecular modeling suggests that MscuOBP8 may function as a carrier of primer pheromones or other ligands. PMID:28423045

Characterization of antennal sensilla, larvae morphology and olfactory genes of Melipona scutellaris stingless bee.

PubMed

Carvalho, Washington João de; Fujimura, Patrícia Tieme; Bonetti, Ana Maria; Goulart, Luiz Ricardo; Cloonan, Kevin; da Silva, Neide Maria; Araújo, Ester Cristina Borges; Ueira-Vieira, Carlos; Leal, Walter S

2017-01-01

There is growing evidence in the literature suggesting that caste differentiation in the stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris, and other bees in the genus Melipona, is triggered by environmental signals, particularly a primer pheromone. With the proper amount of food and a chemical stimulus, 25% of females emerge as queens, in agreement with a long-standing "two loci/two alleles model" proposed in the 1950s. We surmised that these larvae must be equipped with an olfactory system for reception of these chemical signals. Here we describe for the first time the diversity of antennal sensilla in adults and the morphology of larvae of M. scutellaris. Having found evidence for putative olfactory sensilla in larvae, we next asked whether olfactory proteins were expressed in larvae. Since the molecular basis of M. scutellaris is still unknown, we cloned olfactory genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSP) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) using M. scutellaris cDNA template and primers designed on the basis CSPs and OBPs previously reported from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. We cloned two CSP and two OBP genes and then attempted to express the proteins encoded by these genes. With a recombinant OBP, MscuOBP8, and a combinatorial single-chain variable fragment antibody library, we generated anti-MscuOBP8 monoclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry we demonstrated that the anti-MscuOBP8 binds specifically to the MscuOBP8. Next, we found evidence that MscuOBP8 is expressed in M. scutellaris larvae and it is located in the mandibular region, thus further supporting the hypothesis of olfactory function in immature stages. Lastly, molecular modeling suggests that MscuOBP8 may function as a carrier of primer pheromones or other ligands.

Hispanic ethnicity and post-traumatic stress disorder after a disaster: evidence from a general population survey after September 11, 2001.

PubMed

Galea, Sandro; Vlahov, David; Tracy, Melissa; Hoover, Donald R; Resnick, Heidi; Kilpatrick, Dean

2004-09-01

To assess ethnic differences in the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a disaster, and to assess the factors that may explain these differences. We used data from a representative survey of the New York City metropolitan area (n=2,616) conducted 6 months after September 11, 2001. Linear models were fit to assess differences in the prevalence of PTSD between different groups of Hispanics and non-Hispanics and to evaluate potential explanatory variables. Hispanics of Dominican or Puerto Rican origin (14.3% and 13.2%, respectively) were more likely than other Hispanics (6.1%) and non-Hispanics (5.2%) to report symptoms consistent with probable PTSD after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Dominicans and Puerto Ricans were more likely than persons of other races/ethnicities to have lower incomes, be younger, have lower social support, have had greater exposure to the September 11 attacks, and to have experienced a peri-event panic attack upon hearing of the September 11 attacks; these variables accounted for 60% to 74% of the observed higher prevalence of probable PTSD in these groups. Socio-economic position, event exposures, social support, and peri-event emotional reactions may help explain differences in PTSD risk after disaster between Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanics.

A neural network for intermale aggression to establish social hierarchy.

PubMed

Stagkourakis, Stefanos; Spigolon, Giada; Williams, Paul; Protzmann, Jil; Fisone, Gilberto; Broberger, Christian

2018-06-01

Intermale aggression is used to establish social rank. Several neuronal populations have been implicated in aggression, but the circuit mechanisms that shape this innate behavior and coordinate its different components (including attack execution and reward) remain elusive. We show that dopamine transporter-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv DAT neurons) organize goal-oriented aggression in male mice. Activation of PMv DAT neurons triggers attack behavior; silencing these neurons interrupts attacks. Regenerative PMv DAT membrane conductances interacting with recurrent and reciprocal excitation explain how a brief trigger can elicit a long-lasting response (hysteresis). PMv DAT projections to the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamic and the supramammillary nuclei control attack execution and aggression reward, respectively. Brief manipulation of PMv DAT activity switched the dominance relationship between males, an effect persisting for weeks. These results identify a network structure anchored in PMv DAT neurons that organizes aggressive behavior and, as a consequence, determines intermale hierarchy.

Synaptic Spinules in the Olfactory Circuit of Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Gruber, Lydia; Rybak, Jürgen; Hansson, Bill S.; Cantera, Rafael

2018-01-01

Here we report on ultrastructural features of brain synapses in the fly Drosophila melanogaster and outline a perspective for the study of their functional significance. Images taken with the aid of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (EM) at 20 nm intervals across olfactory glomerulus DA2 revealed that some synaptic boutons are penetrated by protrusions emanating from other neurons. Similar structures in the brain of mammals are known as synaptic spinules. A survey with transmission EM (TEM) disclosed that these structures are frequent throughout the antennal lobe. Detailed neuronal tracings revealed that spinules are formed by all three major types of neurons innervating glomerulus DA2 but the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) receive significantly more spinules than other olfactory neurons. Double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) that appear to represent material that has pinched-off from spinules are also most abundant in presynaptic boutons of OSNs. Inside the host neuron, a close association was observed between spinules, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. We propose that by releasing material into the host neuron, through a process triggered by synaptic activity and analogous to axonal pruning, synaptic spinules could function as a mechanism for synapse tagging, synaptic remodeling and neural plasticity. Future directions of experimental work to investigate this theory are proposed. PMID:29636666

Synaptic Spinules in the Olfactory Circuit of Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Gruber, Lydia; Rybak, Jürgen; Hansson, Bill S; Cantera, Rafael

2018-01-01

Here we report on ultrastructural features of brain synapses in the fly Drosophila melanogaster and outline a perspective for the study of their functional significance. Images taken with the aid of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (EM) at 20 nm intervals across olfactory glomerulus DA2 revealed that some synaptic boutons are penetrated by protrusions emanating from other neurons. Similar structures in the brain of mammals are known as synaptic spinules. A survey with transmission EM (TEM) disclosed that these structures are frequent throughout the antennal lobe. Detailed neuronal tracings revealed that spinules are formed by all three major types of neurons innervating glomerulus DA2 but the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) receive significantly more spinules than other olfactory neurons. Double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) that appear to represent material that has pinched-off from spinules are also most abundant in presynaptic boutons of OSNs. Inside the host neuron, a close association was observed between spinules, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. We propose that by releasing material into the host neuron, through a process triggered by synaptic activity and analogous to axonal pruning, synaptic spinules could function as a mechanism for synapse tagging, synaptic remodeling and neural plasticity. Future directions of experimental work to investigate this theory are proposed.

Outdoor Air Pollution, Heart Attack and Stroke

EPA Science Inventory

Elevated outdoor ambient air particle pollution triggers heart attacks, strokes, and abnormal heart rhythms and worsens heart failure in individuals at high risk due to underlying medical conditions. Emergency Medical Services in communities are the first responders to these eme...

Participation of dorsal periaqueductal gray 5-HT1A receptors in the panicolytic-like effect of the κ-opioid receptor antagonist Nor-BNI.

PubMed

Maraschin, Jhonatan Christian; Almeida, Camila Biesdorf; Rangel, Marcel Pereira; Roncon, Camila Marroni; Sestile, Caio César; Zangrossi, Hélio; Graeff, Frederico Guilherme; Audi, Elisabeth Aparecida

2017-06-01

Panic patients may have abnormalities in serotonergic and opioidergic neurotransmission. The dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) plays an important role in organizing proximal defense, related to panic attacks. The 5-HT 1A receptor (5-HT 1A -R) is involved in regulating escape behavior that is organized in the dPAG. Activation of κ-opioid receptor (KOR) in this region causes anxiogenic effects. In this study, we investigated the involvement of KOR in regulating escape behavior, using systemic and intra-dPAG injection of the KOR antagonist Nor-BNI. As panic models, we used the elevated T-maze (ETM) and the dPAG electrical stimulation test (EST). We also evaluated whether activation of the 5-HT 1A -R or the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) in the dPAG contributes to the Nor-BNI effects. The results showed that systemic administration of Nor-BNI, either subcutaneously (2.0 and 4.0mg/kg) or intraperitoneally (2.0mg/kg), impaired escape in the EST, indicating a panicolytic-like effect. Intra-dPAG injection of this antagonist (6.8nmol) caused the same effect in the EST and in the ETM. Association of ineffective doses of Nor-BNI and the 5-HT 1A -R agonist 8-OH-DPAT caused panicolytic-like effect in these two tests. Previous administration of the 5-HT 1A -R antagonist WAY-100635, but not of the MOR antagonist CTOP, blocked the panicolytic-like effect of Nor-BNI. These results indicate that KOR enhances proximal defense in the dPAG through 5-HT 1A -R modulation, independently of MOR. Because former results indicate that the 5-HT 1A -R is involved in the antipanic action of antidepressants, KOR antagonists may be useful as adjunctive or alternative drug treatment of panic disorder. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The distinguishing motor features of cataplexy: a study from video-recorded attacks.

PubMed

Pizza, Fabio; Antelmi, Elena; Vandi, Stefano; Meletti, Stefano; Erro, Roberto; Baumann, Christian R; Bhatia, Kailash P; Dauvilliers, Yves; Edwards, Mark J; Iranzo, Alex; Overeem, Sebastiaan; Tinazzi, Michele; Liguori, Rocco; Plazzi, Giuseppe

2018-05-01

To describe the motor pattern of cataplexy and to determine its phenomenological differences from pseudocataplexy in the differential diagnosis of episodic falls. We selected 30 video-recorded cataplexy and 21 pseudocataplexy attacks in 17 and 10 patients evaluated for suspected narcolepsy and with final diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 and conversion disorder, respectively, together with self-reported attacks features, and asked expert neurologists to blindly evaluate the motor features of the attacks. Video documented and self-reported attack features of cataplexy and pseudocataplexy were contrasted. Video-recorded cataplexy can be positively differentiated from pseudocataplexy by the occurrence of facial hypotonia (ptosis, mouth opening, tongue protrusion) intermingled by jerks and grimaces abruptly interrupting laughter behavior (i.e. smile, facial expression) and postural control (head drops, trunk fall) under clear emotional trigger. Facial involvement is present in both partial and generalized cataplexy. Conversely, generalized pseudocataplexy is associated with persistence of deep tendon reflexes during the attack. Self-reported features confirmed the important role of positive emotions (laughter, telling a joke) in triggering the attacks, as well as the more frequent occurrence of partial body involvement in cataplexy compared with pseudocataplexy. Cataplexy is characterized by abrupt facial involvement during laughter behavior. Video recording of suspected cataplexy attacks allows the identification of positive clinical signs useful for diagnosis and, possibly in the future, for severity assessment.

Is there a false memory syndrome? A review of three cases.

PubMed

Kaplan, R; Manicavasagar, V

2001-01-01

The controversy over recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is whether such experiences can be forgotten for long periods and retrieved later in therapy or in response to cues or triggers from the environment. False memory syndrome (FMS) is caused by memories of a traumatic experience--most frequently CSA--which are objectively false, but in which the person strongly believes. Personality factors often play a role in the development of FMS. Because CSA is such a devastating experience, false accusations of sexual abuse have enormous, if not shattering, consequences for families. We present three case reports to illustrate features of the FMS. FMS should be listed for further study to establish valid criteria for making the diagnosis under the category of "factitious disorders," and a subcategory of "false memories/beliefs of abuse," with a further subdivision of "induced by therapy." The FMS controversy occurred in the context of a general moral panic about sexual abuse in the early 1980s. Psychiatrists should have a high degree of scepticism to moral panics.

The Orexin Component of Fasting Triggers Memory Processes Underlying Conditioned Food Selection in the Rat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferry, Barbara; Duchamp-Viret, Patricia

2014-01-01

To test the selectivity of the orexin A (OXA) system in olfactory sensitivity, the present study compared the effects of fasting and of central infusion of OXA on the memory processes underlying odor-malaise association during the conditioned odor aversion (COA) paradigm. Animals implanted with a cannula in the left ventricle received ICV infusion…

Activity-Dependent IGF-1 Exocytosis is Controlled by the Ca2+-Sensor Synaptotagmin-10

PubMed Central

Cao, Peng; Maximov, Anton; Südhof, Thomas C.

2011-01-01

Synaptotagmins Syt1, Syt2, Syt7, and Syt9 act as Ca2+-sensors for synaptic and neuroendocrine exocytosis, but the function of other synaptotagmins remains unknown. Here, we show that olfactory bulb neurons secrete IGF-1 by an activity-dependent pathway of exocytosis, and that Syt10 functions as the Ca2+-sensor that triggers IGF-1 exocytosis in these neurons. Deletion of Syt10 impaired activity-dependent IGF-1 secretion in olfactory bulb neurons, resulting in smaller neurons and an overall decrease in synapse numbers. Exogenous IGF-1 completely reversed the Syt10 knockout phenotype. Syt10 co-localized with IGF-1 in somatodendritic vesicles of olfactory bulb neurons, and Ca2+-binding to Syt10 caused these vesicles to undergo exocytosis, thereby secreting IGF-1. Thus, Syt10 controls a previously unrecognized pathway of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis that is spatially and temporally distinct from Ca2+-dependent synaptic vesicle exocytosis controlled by Syt1 in the same neurons, and two different synaptotagmins regulate distinct Ca2+-dependent membrane fusion reactions during exocytosis in the same neuron. PMID:21496647

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis

MedlinePlus

... with low potassium. The provider may try to trigger an attack by giving you insulin and sugar (glucose, which reduces potassium level) or thyroid hormone. The following signs may be seen during the attack: Decreased or no reflexes Heart arrhythmias Low potassium in the bloodstream ( serum potassium ...

Reduced risk-taking behavior as a trait feature of anxiety.

PubMed

Giorgetta, Cinzia; Grecucci, Alessandro; Zuanon, Sophia; Perini, Laura; Balestrieri, Matteo; Bonini, Nicolao; Sanfey, Alan G; Brambilla, Paolo

2012-12-01

Affect can have a significant influence on decision-making processes and subsequent choice. One particularly relevant type of negative affect is anxiety, which serves to enhance responses to threatening stimuli or situations. In its exaggerated form, it can lead to psychiatric disorders, with detrimental consequences for quality of life, including the ability to make choices. This study investigated, for the first time, how pathological anxiety affects risk-taking behavior. In this study, 20 anxious participants meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for either generalized anxiety disorder (n = 10) and for panic attack disorder (n = 10), as well as 20 matched nonanxious controls, performed a gambling task. To investigate the tendency toward either a risk-seeking or a risk-averse behavior, we employed a task that did not allow for learning from outcomes. Anxious participants made significantly fewer risky choices than matched nonanxious participants. Specifically, they become risk-avoidant after gains. Moreover, anxious participants not only were less happy after gains but were also less sad after losses, and they also evinced less desire to change their choices after losses than did nonanxious participants. Importantly, whereas the desire to switch choice was followed by actual choice switch for all participants, happiness directly predicted subsequent risky choices, particularly in the nonanxious participants. Further analyses revealed that the anxious participants' risk-avoidance behavior was independent of different types of anxiety disorder (panic attack disorder and generalized anxiety disorder) as well as of the effects of psychotropic drugs treatment. This study demonstrates a specific role for anxiety in individual decision making. In particular, hypersensitivity to potential threats and pessimistic evaluation of future events reduced risk-taking behavior. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Evoked Potential in Panic Disorder Patients: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Di Giorgio, Luiza Medeiros Wanick; Velasques, Bruna Brandao; Ribeiro, Pedro; Nardi, Antonio Egidio; de Carvalho, Marcele Regine

2015-01-01

Researchers have been using the electroencephalogram to better understand the cognitive and neurobiological bases of panic disorder (PD) through the P300 component; this is an electric potential of the cerebral cortex that is generated in response to external sensorial stimuli and which involves more complex neurophysiological processes related to stimulus interpretation; it is then used to investigate possible alterations in the information processing and attention of patients suffering from this disorder. Aiming to verify the results found by experimental articles already published about P300 in PD patients and the information processing differences between PD patients and healthy controls, a systematic review of the PubMed and Institute for Scientific Information databases was conducted. The selection criterion involved those articles, written in English, which referred to an experimental research that focused on the P300 component, with a sample composed of PD (or panic attacks) patients. Seven articles were found that fit the selected criteria. Most of the articles show that these patients suffer from: impaired information processing and attention, an inability to automatically respond to new stimuli, and impaired interpretation of internal and external stimuli related to the disorder. Such impairment may be related to an unspecified dysfunction in the limbic-reticular structures, which would affect: active, focused and short-term attention, working and short-term memory, recognition and decision making. Some limitations were highlighted, such as the use of small samples and possible comorbidity with other disorders, which did not allow clearer results. This research can contribute to understand the neurobiological differences of PD patients and develop treatments based on such evidence.

Practical aspects in the management of hypokalemic periodic paralysis

PubMed Central

Levitt, Jacob O

2008-01-01

Management considerations in hypokalemic periodic paralysis include accurate diagnosis, potassium dosage for acute attacks, choice of diuretic for prophylaxis, identification of triggers, creating a safe physical environment, peri-operative measures, and issues in pregnancy. A positive genetic test in the context of symptoms is the gold standard for diagnosis. Potassium chloride is the favored potassium salt given at 0.5–1.0 mEq/kg for acute attacks. The oral route is favored, but if necessary, a mannitol solvent can be used for intravenous administration. Avoidance of or potassium prophylaxis for common triggers, such as rest after exercise, high carbohydrate meals, and sodium, can prevent attacks. Chronically, acetazolamide, dichlorphenamide, or potassium-sparing diuretics decrease attack frequency and severity but are of little value acutely. Potassium, water, and a telephone should always be at a patient's bedside, regardless of the presence of weakness. Perioperatively, the patient's clinical status should be checked frequently. Firm data on the management of periodic paralysis during pregnancy is lacking. Patient support can be found at . PMID:18426576

6th Yahya Cohen Lecture: visual experience during cataract surgery.

PubMed

Au Eong, K G

2002-09-01

The visual sensations many patients experience during cataract surgery under local anaesthesia have received little attention until recently. This paper reviews the recent studies on this phenomenon, discusses its clinical significance and suggests novel approaches to reduce its negative impact on the surgery. Literature review. Many patients who have cataract surgery under retrobulbar, peribulbar or topical anaesthesia experience a variety of visual sensations in their operated eye during surgery. These visual sensations include perception of light, movements, flashes, one or more colours, surgical instruments, the surgeon's hand/fingers, the surgeon and changes in light brightness. Some patients experience transient no light perception, even if the operation is performed under topical anaesthesia. The clinical significance of this phenomenon lies in the fact that approximately 7.1% to 15.4% of patients find their visual experience frightening. This fear and anxiety may cause some patients to become uncooperative during surgery and trigger a sympathetic surge, causing such undesirable effects as hypertension, tachycardia, ischaemic strain on the heart, hyperventilation and acute panic attack. Several approaches to reduce the negative impact of patients' visual experience are suggested, including appropriate preoperative counselling and reducing the ability of patients to see during surgery. The findings that some patients find their intraoperative visual experience distressing have a major impact on the way ophthalmologists manage their cataract patients. To reduce its negative impact, surgeons should consider incorporating appropriate preoperative counselling on potential intraoperative visual experience when obtaining informed consent for surgery.

Mitochondrial disorder caused Charles Darwin's cyclic vomiting syndrome.

PubMed

Finsterer, Josef; Hayman, John

2014-01-08

Charles Darwin (CD), "father of modern biology," suffered from multisystem illness from early adulthood. The most disabling manifestation was cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). This study aims at finding the possible cause of CVS in CD. A literature search using the PubMed database was carried out, and CD's complaints, as reported in his personal writings and those of his relatives, friends, colleagues, biographers, were compared with various manifestations of mitochondrial disorders (MIDs), known to cause CVS, described in the literature. Organ tissues involved in CD's disease were brain, nerves, muscles, vestibular apparatus, heart, gut, and skin. Cerebral manifestations included episodic headache, visual disturbance, episodic memory loss, periodic paralysis, hysterical crying, panic attacks, and episodes of depression. Manifestations of polyneuropathy included numbness, paresthesias, increased sweating, temperature sensitivity, and arterial hypotension. Muscular manifestations included periods of exhaustion, easy fatigability, myalgia, and muscle twitching. Cardiac manifestations included episodes of palpitations and chest pain. Gastrointestinal manifestations were CVS, dental problems, abnormal seasickness, eructation, belching, and flatulence. Dermatological manifestations included painful lips, dermatitis, eczema, and facial edema. Treatments with beneficial effects to his complaints were rest, relaxation, heat, and hydrotherapy. CVS in CD was most likely due to a multisystem, nonsyndromic MID. This diagnosis is based upon the multisystem nature of his disease, the fact that CVS is most frequently the manifestation of a MID, the family history, the variable phenotypic expression between affected family members, the fact that symptoms were triggered by stress, and that only few symptoms could not be explained by a MID.

Anxiety sensitivity, catastrophic misinterpretations and panic self-efficacy in the prediction of panic disorder severity: towards a tripartite cognitive model of panic disorder.

PubMed

Sandin, Bonifacio; Sánchez-Arribas, Carmen; Chorot, Paloma; Valiente, Rosa M

2015-04-01

The present study examined the contribution of three main cognitive factors (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily symptoms, and panic self-efficacy) in predicting panic disorder (PD) severity in a sample of patients with a principal diagnosis of panic disorder. It was hypothesized that anxiety sensitivity (AS), catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, and panic self-efficacy are uniquely related to panic disorder severity. One hundred and sixty-eight participants completed measures of AS, catastrophic misinterpretations of panic-like sensations, and panic self-efficacy prior to receiving treatment. Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicated that AS, catastrophic misinterpretations and panic self-efficacy independently predicted panic disorder severity. Results of path analyses indicated that AS was direct and indirectly (mediated by catastrophic misinterpretations) related with panic severity. Results provide evidence for a tripartite cognitive account of panic disorder. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A sensory code for host seeking in parasitic nematodes

PubMed Central

Hallem, Elissa A.; Dillman, Adler R.; Hong, Annie V.; Zhang, Yuanjun; Yano, Jessica M.; DeMarco, Stephanie F.

2011-01-01

Summary Nematodes comprise a large phylum of both free-living and parasitic species that show remarkably diverse lifestyles, ecological niches, and behavioral repertoires. Parasitic species in particular often display highly specialized host-seeking behaviors that reflect their specific host preferences. Many host-seeking behaviors can be triggered by the presence of host odors, yet little is known about either the specific olfactory cues that trigger these behaviors or the neural circuits that underlie them. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae are phylogenetically distant insect-parasitic nematodes whose host-seeking and host-invasion behavior resembles that of some of the most devastating human- and plant-parasitic nematodes. Here we compare the olfactory responses of H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae infective juveniles (IJs) to those of Caenorhabditis elegans dauers, which are analogous life stages [1]. We show that the broad host range of these parasites results from their ability to respond to the universally-produced signal carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as a wide array of odors, including host-specific odors that we identified using TD-GC-MS. We show that CO2 is attractive for the parasitic IJs and C. elegans dauers despite being repulsive for C. elegans adults [2–4], and we identify an ancient and conserved sensory neuron that mediates CO2 response in both parasitic and free-living species regardless of whether CO2 is an attractive or a repulsive cue. Finally, we show that the parasites’ odor response profiles are more similar to each other than to that of C. elegans despite their greater phylogenetic distance, likely reflecting evolutionary convergence to insect parasitism. Our results suggest that the olfactory responses of parasitic versus free-living nematodes are highly diverse and that this diversity is critical to the evolution of nematode behavior. PMID:21353558

Ictal fear: Associations with age, gender, and other experiential phenomena.

PubMed

Chong, Derek J; Dugan, Patricia

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of fear to other auras and to gender and age using a large database. The Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project (EPGP) is a multicenter, multicontinental cross-sectional study in which ictal symptomatology and other data were ascertained in a standardized series of questionnaires then corroborated by epilepsy specialists. Auras were classified into subgroups of symptoms, with ictal fear, panic, or anxiety as a single category. Of 536 participants with focal epilepsy, 72 were coded as having ictal fear/panic/anxiety. Reviewing raw patient responses, 12 participants were deemed not to have fear, and 24 had inadequate data, leaving 36 (7%) of 512 with definite ictal fear. In univariate analyses, fear was significantly associated with auras historically considered temporal lobe in origin, including cephalic, olfactory, and visceral complaints; déjà vu; and derealization. On both univariate and multivariate stepwise analyses, fear was associated with jamais vu and auras with cardiac symptoms, dyspnea, and chest tightening. Expressive aphasia was associated with fear on univariate analysis only, but the general category of aphasias was associated with fear only in the multivariate model. There was no age or gender relationship with fear when compared to the overall population with focal epilepsy that was studied under the EPGP. Patients with ictal fear were more likely to have a right hemisphere seizure focus. Ictal fear was strongly associated with other auras considered to originate from the limbic system. No relationship of fear with age or gender was observed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnicity and Psychiatric Disorders

PubMed Central

Hawes, Armani M.; Axinn, William G.; Ghimire, Dirgha J.

2016-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are one of the leading causes of disease-related disability in the world today. However, little is known about the ethnic variation of these disorders within populations. This is especially true in contexts outside of the United States and the European Diaspora. This study provides new evidence from South Asia on ethnic differences in Major Depressive Episode, Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Attack, Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Intermittent Explosive Disorder. We use data from 400 adult interviews conducted in Nepal in a controlled comparison design as a case study. We use a series of multilevel logistic regression models to predict ethnic group differences in psychiatric disorders and episodes with measures from clinically validated World Mental Health survey instruments. Compared to the Brahmin/Chhetri group, we found historically excluded Dalits had statistically significantly higher odds of almost all psychiatric disorders and episodes. We also found that historically resilient Janajatis had statistically significantly lower odds of being diagnosed with PTSD than the majority Brahmin/Chhetri group. We also found no significant gender difference in MDD or MDE. Psychiatric disorders and episodes vary significantly by ethnicity within a rural Asian population, but gender differences are small. PMID:28824961

[Somatic conditions in patients suffering from anxiety disorders].

PubMed

Pascual, Juan Carlos; Castaño, Juan; Espluga, Nuria; Díaz, Belén; García-Ribera, Carlos; Bulbena, Antonio

2008-03-08

Several studies have shown a higher prevalence of somatic illnesses in patients with anxiety disorders, especially cardiopathy, pneumopathy, digestive diseases and cephalea. The aim of this study was to investigate the comorbidity between anxiety disorders and medical illnesses in a group of patients with anxiety disorders compared with patients without psychiatric disorder attended at a primary care clinic and with psychiatric patients without anxiety pathology. Retrospective case-control study comparing 3 groups of patients paired by age and sex. The group of patients with anxiety disorders included 130 patients diagnosed by DSM-IV as panic disorders with/without agoraphobia and agoraphobia without panic attacks. There were 2 control groups: 150 patients without psychiatric disorder attended at primary care and 130 psychiatric patients without anxiety disorder attended at a psychiatric service. Patients with anxiety disorders showed higher risk of medical illnesses than patient without anxiety. Multivariate statistical logistic regression analysis showed that patients with anxiety presented 4.2-fold increase in the risk of cephalea, 3.9 of cardiopathy, 3.8 of osteomuscular disorder and 2-fold increase in the risk of digestive diseases. Patients with anxiety disorders presented higher risk of somatic illness. Similar physiopathology and genetic etiology could explain this association.

Malchish-Kibalchish: cultural factors in a clinical case.

PubMed

Tsivinsky, Vladimir

2016-09-01

In this paper, a Jungian understanding of cultural factors influencing individual analysis is illustrated with the case of a patient suffering from panic attacks. The analysis revealed that, in addition to the patient's personal background, the collectivistic attitudes of the Soviet culture, which had a moulding effect on the patient in his childhood and obstructed his individuation, should be taken into account. The concepts of the totalitarian object and the Russian cultural complex encompassing a grandiosity pole and an inferiority pole are used to explore the patient's condition, and the crucial role of creating mutual language with the patient is outlined. © 2016, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

A methodology to quantify the release of spent nuclear fuel from dry casks during security-related scenarios

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Durbin, Samuel G.; Luna, Robert Earl

Assessing the risk to the public and the environment from a release of radioactive material produced by accidental or purposeful forces/environments is an important aspect of the regulatory process in many facets of the nuclear industry. In particular, the transport and storage of radioactive materials is of particular concern to the public, especially with regard to potential sabotage acts that might be undertaken by terror groups to cause injuries, panic, and/or economic consequences to a nation. For many such postulated attacks, no breach in the robust cask or storage module containment is expected to occur. However, there exists evidence thatmore » some hypothetical attack modes can penetrate and cause a release of radioactive material. This report is intended as an unclassified overview of the methodology for release estimation as well as a guide to useful resource data from unclassified sources and relevant analysis methods for the estimation process.« less

Adolescents and Exercise Induced Asthma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Pamela; Bickanse, Shanna; Bogenreif, Mike; VanSickle, Kyle

2008-01-01

This article defines asthma and exercise induced asthma, and provides information on the triggers, signs, and symptoms of an attack. It also gives treatments for these conditions, along with prevention guidelines on how to handle an attack in the classroom or on the practice field. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

Serotonin increases synaptic activity in olfactory bulb glomeruli

PubMed Central

Brill, Julia; Shao, Zuoyi; Puche, Adam C.; Wachowiak, Matt

2016-01-01

Serotoninergic fibers densely innervate olfactory bulb glomeruli, the first sites of synaptic integration in the olfactory system. Acting through 5HT2A receptors, serotonin (5HT) directly excites external tufted cells (ETCs), key excitatory glomerular neurons, and depolarizes some mitral cells (MCs), the olfactory bulb's main output neurons. We further investigated 5HT action on MCs and determined its effects on the two major classes of glomerular interneurons: GABAergic/dopaminergic short axon cells (SACs) and GABAergic periglomerular cells (PGCs). In SACs, 5HT evoked a depolarizing current mediated by 5HT2C receptors but did not significantly impact spike rate. 5HT had no measurable direct effect in PGCs. Serotonin increased spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs and sIPSCs) in PGCs and SACs. Increased sEPSCs were mediated by 5HT2A receptors, suggesting that they are primarily due to enhanced excitatory drive from ETCs. Increased sIPSCs resulted from elevated excitatory drive onto GABAergic interneurons and augmented GABA release from SACs. Serotonin-mediated GABA release from SACs was action potential independent and significantly increased miniature IPSC frequency in glomerular neurons. When focally applied to a glomerulus, 5HT increased MC spontaneous firing greater than twofold but did not increase olfactory nerve-evoked responses. Taken together, 5HT modulates glomerular network activity in several ways: 1) it increases ETC-mediated feed-forward excitation onto MCs, SACs, and PGCs; 2) it increases inhibition of glomerular interneurons; 3) it directly triggers action potential-independent GABA release from SACs; and 4) these network actions increase spontaneous MC firing without enhancing responses to suprathreshold sensory input. This may enhance MC sensitivity while maintaining dynamic range. PMID:26655822

Serotonin increases synaptic activity in olfactory bulb glomeruli.

PubMed

Brill, Julia; Shao, Zuoyi; Puche, Adam C; Wachowiak, Matt; Shipley, Michael T

2016-03-01

Serotoninergic fibers densely innervate olfactory bulb glomeruli, the first sites of synaptic integration in the olfactory system. Acting through 5HT2A receptors, serotonin (5HT) directly excites external tufted cells (ETCs), key excitatory glomerular neurons, and depolarizes some mitral cells (MCs), the olfactory bulb's main output neurons. We further investigated 5HT action on MCs and determined its effects on the two major classes of glomerular interneurons: GABAergic/dopaminergic short axon cells (SACs) and GABAergic periglomerular cells (PGCs). In SACs, 5HT evoked a depolarizing current mediated by 5HT2C receptors but did not significantly impact spike rate. 5HT had no measurable direct effect in PGCs. Serotonin increased spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs and sIPSCs) in PGCs and SACs. Increased sEPSCs were mediated by 5HT2A receptors, suggesting that they are primarily due to enhanced excitatory drive from ETCs. Increased sIPSCs resulted from elevated excitatory drive onto GABAergic interneurons and augmented GABA release from SACs. Serotonin-mediated GABA release from SACs was action potential independent and significantly increased miniature IPSC frequency in glomerular neurons. When focally applied to a glomerulus, 5HT increased MC spontaneous firing greater than twofold but did not increase olfactory nerve-evoked responses. Taken together, 5HT modulates glomerular network activity in several ways: 1) it increases ETC-mediated feed-forward excitation onto MCs, SACs, and PGCs; 2) it increases inhibition of glomerular interneurons; 3) it directly triggers action potential-independent GABA release from SACs; and 4) these network actions increase spontaneous MC firing without enhancing responses to suprathreshold sensory input. This may enhance MC sensitivity while maintaining dynamic range. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Panic disorder and subthreshold panic in the light of comorbidity: a follow-up study.

PubMed

Oral, Elif; Aydin, Nazan; Gulec, Mustafa; Oral, Meltem

2012-10-01

Especially in the presence of agoraphobia and comorbid conditions, panic disorder causes significant impairment in life quality. Although there are several studies about epidemiology and clinical features, subthreshold symptoms and courses of comorbidity have not been studied sufficiently in panic disorder. The current study assessed the courses of panic disorder and subthreshold panic symptoms in consideration of the major and subthreshold comorbid conditions. Patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-diagnosed panic disorder were assessed using the panic disorder follow-up questionnaire, Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was used to determine comorbidity, and all participants were received to 1-year follow-up. Comorbidity assessment showed that the threshold comorbidity decreased, while the subthreshold comorbidity increased at 1-year follow-up. Panic disorder symptom severity was decreased, but subthreshold panic symptoms continued to be present within the course of the illness. Presence of agoraphobia and duration of disease were significantly related with higher Panic and Agoraphobia Scale scores in the second assessment, and these relationships were independent from the treatment process. Even if the comorbidity and the severity of panic decrease with treatment, subthreshold panic and comorbid symptoms may still resist in panic disorder. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Event-Triggered Fault Detection and Estimation for Stochastic Systems Subject to Deception Attacks.

PubMed

Li, Yunji; Wu, QingE; Peng, Li

2018-01-23

In this paper, a synthesized design of fault-detection filter and fault estimator is considered for a class of discrete-time stochastic systems in the framework of event-triggered transmission scheme subject to unknown disturbances and deception attacks. A random variable obeying the Bernoulli distribution is employed to characterize the phenomena of the randomly occurring deception attacks. To achieve a fault-detection residual is only sensitive to faults while robust to disturbances, a coordinate transformation approach is exploited. This approach can transform the considered system into two subsystems and the unknown disturbances are removed from one of the subsystems. The gain of fault-detection filter is derived by minimizing an upper bound of filter error covariance. Meanwhile, system faults can be reconstructed by the remote fault estimator. An recursive approach is developed to obtain fault estimator gains as well as guarantee the fault estimator performance. Furthermore, the corresponding event-triggered sensor data transmission scheme is also presented for improving working-life of the wireless sensor node when measurement information are aperiodically transmitted. Finally, a scaled version of an industrial system consisting of local PC, remote estimator and wireless sensor node is used to experimentally evaluate the proposed theoretical results. In particular, a novel fault-alarming strategy is proposed so that the real-time capacity of fault-detection is guaranteed when the event condition is triggered.

Elites and Panic: More to Fear than Fear Itself

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Lee; Chess, Caron

2008-01-01

Attributions of panic are almost exclusively directed at members of the general public. Here, we inquire into the relationships between elites and panic. We review current research and theorizing about panic, including problems of identifying when it has occurred. We propose three relationships: elites fearing panic, elites causing panic and…

The 2015 and 2016 terrorist attacks in France: was there a short-term impact on hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease?

PubMed

Chatignoux, Edouard; Gabet, Amélie; Moutengou, Elodie; Pirard, Philippe; Motreff, Yvon; Bonaldi, Christophe; Olié, Valérie

2018-01-01

The terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice in 2015 and 2016 generated widespread emotional stress in France. Given that acute emotional stress is a well-known trigger for cardiovascular disease, we investigated whether these attacks had any short-term impact on hospitalizations for acute cardiovascular disease in France. Annual hospital discharge data from 2009 to 2016 were extracted from the French Hospital Discharge Database. All hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, or stroke were selected. Generalized additive Poisson models were used to differentiate "unusual" variations in daily hospitalization numbers in the 15 days following the attacks from the expected background hospitalization rate. The average daily number of hospitalizations was 396.4 for acute coronary syndrome, 598.6 for heart failure, and 334.6 for stroke. The daily mean number of hospitalizations for heart failure and stroke was higher in the 15 days following each attack compared with the reference periods. However, multivariate analysis showed no significant variation in the risk of hospitalization in the days following the attacks. Watching events unfold on television, no matter how dramatic, was not a sufficiently potent trigger for cardiovascular disease, although it may have led to an increase in hospitalizations for stress or anxiety. The 2015 and 2016 terrorist attacks do not seem to have had any measurable short-term impact on hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease either in the Paris and Nice regions or in the rest of France.

Cardiorespiratory concerns shape brain responses during automatic panic-related scene processing in patients with panic disorder

PubMed Central

Feldker, Katharina; Heitmann, Carina Yvonne; Neumeister, Paula; Brinkmann, Leonie; Bruchmann, Maximillan; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Straube, Thomas

2018-01-01

Background Increased automatic processing of threat-related stimuli has been proposed as a key element in panic disorder. Little is known about the neural basis of automatic processing, in particular to task-irrelevant, panic-related, ecologically valid stimuli, or about the association between brain activation and symptomatology in patients with panic disorder. Methods The present event-related functional MRI (fMRI) study compared brain responses to task-irrelevant, panic-related and neutral visual stimuli in medication-free patients with panic disorder and healthy controls. Panic-related and neutral scenes were presented while participants performed a spatially non-overlapping bar orientation task. Correlation analyses investigated the association between brain responses and panic-related aspects of symptomatology, measured using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). Results We included 26 patients with panic disorder and 26 heatlhy controls in our analysis. Compared with controls, patients with panic disorder showed elevated activation in the amygdala, brainstem, thalamus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex and midcingulate cortex in response to panic-related versus neutral task-irrelevant stimuli. Furthermore, fear of cardiovascular symptoms (a subcomponent of the ASI) was associated with insula activation, whereas fear of respiratory symptoms was associated with brainstem hyperactivation in patients with panic disorder. Limitations The additional implementation of measures of autonomic activation, such as pupil diameter, heart rate, or electrodermal activity, would have been informative during the fMRI scan as well as during the rating procedure. Conclusion Results reveal a neural network involved in the processing of panic-related distractor stimuli in patients with panic disorder and suggest an automatic weighting of panic-related information depending on the magnitude of cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms. Insula and brainstem activations show function-related associations with specific components of panic symptomatology. PMID:29252163

Cardiorespiratory concerns shape brain responses during automatic panic-related scene processing in patients with panic disorder.

PubMed

Feldker, Katharina; Heitmann, Carina Yvonne; Neumeister, Paula; Brinkmann, Leonie; Bruchmann, Maximillan; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Straube, Thomas

2018-01-01

Increased automatic processing of threat-related stimuli has been proposed as a key element in panic disorder. Little is known about the neural basis of automatic processing, in particular to task-irrelevant, panic-related, ecologically valid stimuli, or about the association between brain activation and symptomatology in patients with panic disorder. The present event-related functional MRI (fMRI) study compared brain responses to task-irrelevant, panic-related and neutral visual stimuli in medication-free patients with panic disorder and healthy controls. Panic-related and neutral scenes were presented while participants performed a spatially nonoverlapping bar orientation task. Correlation analyses investigated the association between brain responses and panic-related aspects of symptomatology, measured using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). We included 26 patients with panic disorder and 26 heatlhy controls in our analysis. Compared with controls, patients with panic disorder showed elevated activation in the amygdala, brainstem, thalamus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex and midcingulate cortex in response to panic-related versus neutral task-irrelevant stimuli. Furthermore, fear of cardiovascular symptoms (a subcomponent of the ASI) was associated with insula activation, whereas fear of respiratory symptoms was associated with brainstem hyperactivation in patients with panic disorder. The additional implementation of measures of autonomic activation, such as pupil diameter, heart rate, or electrodermal activity, would have been informative during the fMRI scan as well as during the rating procedure. Results reveal a neural network involved in the processing of panic-related distractor stimuli in patients with panic disorder and suggest an automatic weighting of panic-related information depending on the magnitude of cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms. Insula and brainstem activations show function-related associations with specific components of panic symptomatology.

Cardiorespiratory concerns shape brain responses during automatic panic-related scene processing in patients with panic disorder.

PubMed

Feldker, Katharina; Heitmann, Carina Yvonne; Neumeister, Paula; Brinkmann, Leonie; Bruchmann, Maximillan; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Straube, Thomas

2017-09-26

Increased automatic processing of threat-related stimuli has been proposed as a key element in panic disorder. Little is known about the neural basis of automatic processing, in particular to task-irrelevant, panic-related, ecologically valid stimuli, or about the association between brain activation and symptomatology in patients with panic disorder. The present event-related fMRI study compared brain responses to task-irrelevant, panic-related and neutral visual stimuli in medication-free patients with panic disorder and healthy controls. Panic-related and neutral scenes were presented while participants performed a spatially nonoverlapping bar orientation task. Correlation analyses investigated the association between brain responses and panic-related aspects of symptomatology, measured using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). We included 26 patients with panic disorder and 26 heatlhy controls in our analysis. Compared with controls, patients with panic disorder showed elevated activation in the amygdala, brainstem, thalamus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex and midcingulate cortex in response to panic-related versus neutral task-irrelevant stimuli. Furthermore, fear of cardiovascular symptoms (a subcomponent of the ASI) was associated with insula activation, whereas fear of respiratory symptoms was associated with brainstem hyperactivation in patients with panic disorder. The additional implementation of measures of autonomic activation, such as pupil diameter, heart rate, or electrodermal activity, would have been informative during the fMRI scan as well as during the rating procedure. Results reveal a neural network involved in the processing of panic-related distractor stimuli in patients with panic disorder and suggest an automatic weighting of panic-related information depending on the magnitude of cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms. Insula and brainstem activations show function-related associations with specific components of panic symptomatology.

Moderators and mediators among panic, agoraphobia symptoms, and suicidal ideation in patients with panic disorder.

PubMed

Huang, Mei-Feng; Yen, Cheng-Fang; Lung, For-Wey

2010-01-01

The most important change of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) is the use of dimensional approach to assess the severity of symptoms across different diagnosis. There are 2 purposes in this study: the first purpose was to identify the proportion of outpatients with panic disorder who have suicidal ideation. The second aim was to examine the relationships among panic, agoraphobic symptoms, and suicidal ideation in patients with panic disorder, adjusting by age, social support, and alcohol use. Sixty patients with panic disorder were recruited from outpatient psychiatric clinics in southern Taiwan. Suicidal ideation in the preceding 2 weeks was measured. The Panic and Agoraphobic Symptoms Checklist, Social Support Scale, Questionnaire for Adverse Effects of Medication for Panic Disorder, and Social Status Rating Scale were used to understand the severity of panic and agoraphobia, social support, drug adverse effects, and social status. Significant variables from the univariate analysis were included in a forward regression model. Then, we used structural equation modeling to fit the model. We found that 31.7% of outpatients with panic disorder had had suicidal ideation in the preceding 2 weeks. Multiple regression analysis showed that younger age, current alcohol use, more severe panic symptoms, and less social support were associated with suicidal ideation. In addition, the structural equation model illustrated the recursive model from panic to agoraphobia and suicidal ideation. Agoraphobia had no association with suicidal ideation. Panic symptom was a mediator to suicidal ideation but not agoraphobic symptoms. A high proportion of patients with panic disorder had suicidal ideation. We found that panic symptoms, social support, age, and alcohol use affected suicide and could be identified. The 3-level model from panic to agoraphobia revealed that panic was a predictor of agoraphobia and agoraphobia was not a predictor of panic. This verified the evolution of the diagnostic view of the DSM. Panic symptom was a mediator to suicidal ideation. With the dimensional model in DSM-V, panic symptoms can be used as a marker for greater morbidity and severity. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An odor identification approach based on event-related pupil dilation and gaze focus.

PubMed

Aguillon-Hernandez, Nadia; Naudin, Marine; Roché, Laëtitia; Bonnet-Brilhault, Frédérique; Belzung, Catherine; Martineau, Joëlle; Atanasova, Boriana

2015-06-01

Olfactory disorders constitute a potential marker of many diseases and are considered valuable clues to the diagnosis and evaluation of progression for many disorders. The most commonly used test for the evaluation of impairments of olfactory identification requires the active participation of the subject, who must select the correct name of the perceived odor from a list. An alternative method is required because speech may be impaired or not yet learned in many patients. As odor identification is known to be facilitated by searching for visual clues, we aimed to develop an objective, vision-based approach for the evaluation of odor identification. We used an eye tracking method to quantify pupillary and ocular responses during the simultaneous presentation of olfactory and visual stimuli, in 39 healthy participants aged from 19 to 77years. Odor presentation triggered an increase in pupil dilation and gaze focus on the picture corresponding to the odor presented. These results suggest that odorant stimuli increase recruitment of the sympathetic system (as demonstrated by the reactivity of the pupil) and draw attention to the visual clue. These results validate the objectivity of this method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Migraine and triggers: Post hoc ergo propter hoc?

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Jan; Recober, Ana

2013-01-01

The influence of environmental factors on the clinical manifestation of migraine has been a matter of extensive debate over the past decades. Migraineurs commonly report foods, alcohol, meteorologic or atmospheric changes, exposure to light, sounds, or odors, as factors that trigger or aggravate their migraine attacks. In the same way, physicians frequently follow this belief in their recommendations in how migraineurs may reduce their attack frequency, especially with regard to the consumption of certain food components. Interestingly, despite being such a common belief, most of the clinical studies have shown conflicting results. The aim of the review is to critically analyze clinical and pathophysiological facts that support or refute a correlation between certain environmental stimuli and the occurrence of migraine attacks. Given the substantial discrepancy between patients' reports and objective clinical data, the methodological difficulties of investigating the link between environmental factors and migraine are highlighted. PMID:23996725

MAOA gene hypomethylation in panic disorder—reversibility of an epigenetic risk pattern by psychotherapy

PubMed Central

Ziegler, C; Richter, J; Mahr, M; Gajewska, A; Schiele, M A; Gehrmann, A; Schmidt, B; Lesch, K-P; Lang, T; Helbig-Lang, S; Pauli, P; Kircher, T; Reif, A; Rief, W; Vossbeck-Elsebusch, A N; Arolt, V; Wittchen, H-U; Hamm, A O; Deckert, J; Domschke, K

2016-01-01

Epigenetic signatures such as methylation of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene have been found to be altered in panic disorder (PD). Hypothesizing temporal plasticity of epigenetic processes as a mechanism of successful fear extinction, the present psychotherapy-epigenetic study for we believe the first time investigated MAOA methylation changes during the course of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in PD. MAOA methylation was compared between N=28 female Caucasian PD patients (discovery sample) and N=28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls via direct sequencing of sodium bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from blood cells. MAOA methylation was furthermore analyzed at baseline (T0) and after a 6-week CBT (T1) in the discovery sample parallelized by a waiting time in healthy controls, as well as in an independent sample of female PD patients (N=20). Patients exhibited lower MAOA methylation than healthy controls (P<0.001), and baseline PD severity correlated negatively with MAOA methylation (P=0.01). In the discovery sample, MAOA methylation increased up to the level of healthy controls along with CBT response (number of panic attacks; T0–T1: +3.37±2.17%), while non-responders further decreased in methylation (−2.00±1.28% P=0.001). In the replication sample, increases in MAOA methylation correlated with agoraphobic symptom reduction after CBT (P=0.02–0.03). The present results support previous evidence for MAOA hypomethylation as a PD risk marker and suggest reversibility of MAOA hypomethylation as a potential epigenetic correlate of response to CBT. The emerging notion of epigenetic signatures as a mechanism of action of psychotherapeutic interventions may promote epigenetic patterns as biomarkers of lasting extinction effects. PMID:27045843

MAOA gene hypomethylation in panic disorder-reversibility of an epigenetic risk pattern by psychotherapy.

PubMed

Ziegler, C; Richter, J; Mahr, M; Gajewska, A; Schiele, M A; Gehrmann, A; Schmidt, B; Lesch, K-P; Lang, T; Helbig-Lang, S; Pauli, P; Kircher, T; Reif, A; Rief, W; Vossbeck-Elsebusch, A N; Arolt, V; Wittchen, H-U; Hamm, A O; Deckert, J; Domschke, K

2016-04-05

Epigenetic signatures such as methylation of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene have been found to be altered in panic disorder (PD). Hypothesizing temporal plasticity of epigenetic processes as a mechanism of successful fear extinction, the present psychotherapy-epigenetic study for we believe the first time investigated MAOA methylation changes during the course of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in PD. MAOA methylation was compared between N=28 female Caucasian PD patients (discovery sample) and N=28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls via direct sequencing of sodium bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from blood cells. MAOA methylation was furthermore analyzed at baseline (T0) and after a 6-week CBT (T1) in the discovery sample parallelized by a waiting time in healthy controls, as well as in an independent sample of female PD patients (N=20). Patients exhibited lower MAOA methylation than healthy controls (P<0.001), and baseline PD severity correlated negatively with MAOA methylation (P=0.01). In the discovery sample, MAOA methylation increased up to the level of healthy controls along with CBT response (number of panic attacks; T0-T1: +3.37±2.17%), while non-responders further decreased in methylation (-2.00±1.28%; P=0.001). In the replication sample, increases in MAOA methylation correlated with agoraphobic symptom reduction after CBT (P=0.02-0.03). The present results support previous evidence for MAOA hypomethylation as a PD risk marker and suggest reversibility of MAOA hypomethylation as a potential epigenetic correlate of response to CBT. The emerging notion of epigenetic signatures as a mechanism of action of psychotherapeutic interventions may promote epigenetic patterns as biomarkers of lasting extinction effects.

Why AIDS? The Mystery of How HIV Attacks the Immune System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christensen, Damaris

1999-01-01

Reviews differing theories surrounding the mystery of how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the immune system. Claims that understanding how HIV triggers immune-cell depletion may enable researchers to block its effects. New knowledge could reveal strategies for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) therapies that go beyond the drugs…

Panic disorder and subthreshold panic in the UK general population: epidemiology, comorbidity and functional limitation.

PubMed

Skapinakis, P; Lewis, G; Davies, S; Brugha, T; Prince, M; Singleton, N

2011-09-01

The epidemiology of panic disorder has not been investigated in the past in the UK using a nationally representative sample of the population. The aim of the present paper was to examine the epidemiology, comorbidity and functional impairment of subthreshold panic and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. We used data from the 2000 Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity survey (N=8580). Panic disorder and agoraphobia were assessed with the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). The prevalence of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia was 1.70% (95% confidence interval: 1.41-2.03%). Subthreshold panic was more common. Economic inactivity was consistently associated with all syndromes. The comorbidity pattern of the panic syndromes and the associated functional impairment show that panic-related conditions are important public health problems, even in subthreshold status. The findings show that efforts to reduce the disability associated with psychiatric disorders should include detection and management of panic disorder. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A rare case of recurrent vasodepressive attacks of 2-hours duration: analysis of the mechanism by muscle sympathetic nerve activity recording.

PubMed

Yatomi, A; Iguchi, A; Uemura, K; Sakamoto, N; Iwase, S; Mano, T

1989-03-01

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity was recorded in a 57-year-old male patient suffering from severe hypotensive attacks with bradycardia for 10 years. Continuous blood pressure recording demonstrated frequent drastic falls in pressure. Disappearance and reappearance of muscle sympathetic nerve activity coincided with the onset and termination of attacks. Awakening from sleep or emotional and/or cardiovascular stress seems to trigger hypotension. Cardiac pacemaker was not useful in limiting the attack, because right ventricular pacing caused abrupt falls in both blood pressure and heart rate.

Predator versus Prey: Locust Looming-Detector Neuron and Behavioural Responses to Stimuli Representing Attacking Bird Predators

PubMed Central

Santer, Roger D.; Rind, F. Claire; Simmons, Peter J.

2012-01-01

Many arthropods possess escape-triggering neural mechanisms that help them evade predators. These mechanisms are important neuroethological models, but they are rarely investigated using predator-like stimuli because there is often insufficient information on real predator attacks. Locusts possess uniquely identifiable visual neurons (the descending contralateral movement detectors, DCMDs) that are well-studied looming motion detectors. The DCMDs trigger ‘glides’ in flying locusts, which are hypothesised to be appropriate last-ditch responses to the looms of avian predators. To date it has not been possible to study glides in response to stimuli simulating bird attacks because such attacks have not been characterised. We analyse video of wild black kites attacking flying locusts, and estimate kite attack speeds of 10.8±1.4 m/s. We estimate that the loom of a kite’s thorax towards a locust at these speeds should be characterised by a relatively low ratio of half size to speed (l/|v|) in the range 4–17 ms. Peak DCMD spike rate and gliding response occurrence are known to increase as l/|v| decreases for simple looming shapes. Using simulated looming discs, we investigate these trends and show that both DCMD and behavioural responses are strong to stimuli with kite-like l/|v| ratios. Adding wings to looming discs to produce a more realistic stimulus shape did not disrupt the overall relationships of DCMD and gliding occurrence to stimulus l/|v|. However, adding wings to looming discs did slightly reduce high frequency DCMD spike rates in the final stages of object approach, and slightly delay glide initiation. Looming discs with or without wings triggered glides closer to the time of collision as l/|v| declined, and relatively infrequently before collision at very low l/|v|. However, the performance of this system is in line with expectations for a last-ditch escape response. PMID:23209660

The panic disorder screener (PADIS): Development of an accurate and brief population screening tool.

PubMed

Batterham, Philip J; Mackinnon, Andrew J; Christensen, Helen

2015-07-30

The Panic Disorder Screener (PADIS) was developed as a new screener to identify panic disorder in the community and to assess severity of symptoms. The PADIS was developed to fill a gap in existing screening measures, as there are no brief panic screeners available that assess severity. The current study aimed to test the performance of the screener relative to the Patient Health Questionnaire-panic scale (PHQ-panic). The 4-item PADIS was administered to 12,336 young Australian adults, together with the PHQ-panic. A subsample of 1674 participants also completed a phone-based clinical interview to determine whether they met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder. The PADIS (77% sensitivity, 84% specificity) had higher sensitivity for identifying panic disorder based on clinical criteria than the PHQ-panic (57% sensitivity, 91% specificity), although with reduced specificity. Administration of the PADIS required a mean of 1.9 items, compared to 4.7 items for the PHQ-panic. Each one-point increase in PADIS score was associated with 69% increased odds of meeting clinical criteria for panic disorder. The PADIS was found to be a valid, reliable and brief panic screener that is freely available for use in research and clinical settings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of tianeptine or paroxetine on 35% CO2 provoked panic in panic disorder.

PubMed

Schruers, Koen; Griez, Eric

2004-12-01

Antidepressants that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (5-HT) are particularly effective in the treatment of panic disorder. Evidence suggests that increased 5-HT availability is important for the anti-panic effect of serotonergic drugs and in maintaining the response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Tianeptine is an antidepressant with 5-HT reuptake enhancing properties (i.e. the opposite pharmacological profile to that of SSRIs). Therefore, no effect would be expected in panic disorder. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of tianeptine with that of paroxetine, a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor with demonstrated efficacy in panic disorder, on the vulnerability to a laboratory panic challenge in panic disorder patients. Twenty panic disorder patients were treated with either tianeptine or paroxetine for a period of 6 weeks, in a randomized, double-blind, separate group design. The reaction to a 35% CO(2) panic challenge was assessed at baseline and after treatment. Improvement on several clinical scales was also monitored. Tianeptine, as well as paroxetine, showed a significant reduction in vulnerability to the 35% CO(2) panic challenge. In spite of their opposite influence on 5-HT uptake, both tianeptine and paroxetine appeared to reduce the reaction to the panic challenge. These results raise questions about the necessity of 5-HT uptake for the therapeutic efficacy of anti-panic drugs.

Symptoms Moderating the Association Between Recent Suicide Attempts and Trauma Levels: Fan-Shaped Effects.

PubMed

Afzali, Mohammad H; Birmes, Philippe; Vautier, Stéphane

2015-01-01

The present study focuses on variables moderating the incidence of recent suicide attempt in a large community sample (n = 39,617) of French citizens with various levels of trauma. Five trauma levels were established based on posttraumatic stress disorder items of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Twenty-three symptoms were examined as potential moderating variables with a fan-shaped pattern. Seven symptoms regarding desire for death, self-harm intention, suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide attempt, depressed mood, loss of interest, and panic attack exhibited the fan-shaped pattern. The absence of these moderating symptoms decreases the incidence of suicide attempt and their presence leads to a gradual increase.

Leo Schnug: alcoholic dementia as an unexpected source of inspiration for an artist.

PubMed

Sellal, François

2011-01-01

Artistic creativity can be defined as the ability to challenge established academic representations or tastes, and to produce both innovative and esthetic works. Here, we investigate the influence of alcoholic dementia on creativity by describing the case of the famous painter Leo Schnug. It is clear that Schnug's motor and psychic disorders had a dramatic influence on his late artistic output. His hallucinations, panic attacks and delusions had an influence on both the themes and the personal, expressionistic and easily recognizable style of his work. It is unlikely that he would have attained these had he been in good health. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Chilean Recluse Spider (Araneae: Sicariidae) Displays Behavioral Responses to Conspecific Odors, but Not to Several General Odorants.

PubMed

Calbiague, Victor Manuel; Olivares, Jesus; Olivares, Erick; Schmachtenberg, Oliver

2017-09-01

Spiders of the family Sicariidae pose a serious threat to affected populations, and Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet) is considered the most venomous species. Development of nontoxic olfaction-based spider repellents or traps is hindered by a current lack of knowledge regarding olfactory system function in arachnids. In the present study, general plant odorants and conspecific odors were tested for behavioral responses in L. laeta. Although general odorants triggered neither attraction nor aversion, conspecific odor of the opposite sex caused aversion in females, and attraction in males. These results support the presence of a specific olfactory system for the detection of conspecifics in L. laeta, but suggest the absence of a broadly tuned system for general odorant detection in this species. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Early social learning triggers neurogenomic expression changes in a swordtail fish.

PubMed

Cui, Rongfeng; Delclos, Pablo J; Schumer, Molly; Rosenthal, Gil G

2017-05-17

Mate choice can play a pivotal role in the nature and extent of reproductive isolation between species. Mating preferences are often dependent on an individual's social experience with adult phenotypes throughout development. We show that olfactory preference in a swordtail fish ( Xiphophorus malinche ) is affected by previous experience with adult olfactory signals. We compare transcriptome-wide gene expression levels of pooled sensory and brain tissues between three treatment groups that differ by social experience: females with no adult exposure, females exposed to conspecifics and females exposed to heterospecifics. We identify potential functionally relevant genes and biological pathways differentially expressed not only between control and exposure groups, but also between groups exposed to conspecifics and heterospecifics. Based on our results, we speculate that vomeronasal receptor type 2 paralogs may detect species-specific pheromone components and thus play an important role in reproductive isolation between species. © 2017 The Author(s).

Obsessive-Compulsive Homeland Security: Insights from the Neurobiological Security Motivation System

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-01

hypothesized it can be triggered consciously or unconsciously through olfactory cues.15 Woody and Szechtman argue when the SMS malfunctions and fails to shut...being securitized in the first place. Desecuritization is not to be confused with failed securitization, when an argument by an actor fails to...B. Salter, “ When Securitization Fails : The Hard Case of Counter-Terrorism Programs,” in Securitization Theory: How Security Problems Emerge and

Mitochondrial disorder caused Charles Darwin’s cyclic vomiting syndrome

PubMed Central

Finsterer, Josef; Hayman, John

2014-01-01

Background Charles Darwin (CD), “father of modern biology,” suffered from multisystem illness from early adulthood. The most disabling manifestation was cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). This study aims at finding the possible cause of CVS in CD. Methods A literature search using the PubMed database was carried out, and CD’s complaints, as reported in his personal writings and those of his relatives, friends, colleagues, biographers, were compared with various manifestations of mitochondrial disorders (MIDs), known to cause CVS, described in the literature. Results Organ tissues involved in CD’s disease were brain, nerves, muscles, vestibular apparatus, heart, gut, and skin. Cerebral manifestations included episodic headache, visual disturbance, episodic memory loss, periodic paralysis, hysterical crying, panic attacks, and episodes of depression. Manifestations of polyneuropathy included numbness, paresthesias, increased sweating, temperature sensitivity, and arterial hypotension. Muscular manifestations included periods of exhaustion, easy fatigability, myalgia, and muscle twitching. Cardiac manifestations included episodes of palpitations and chest pain. Gastrointestinal manifestations were CVS, dental problems, abnormal seasickness, eructation, belching, and flatulence. Dermatological manifestations included painful lips, dermatitis, eczema, and facial edema. Treatments with beneficial effects to his complaints were rest, relaxation, heat, and hydrotherapy. Conclusion CVS in CD was most likely due to a multisystem, nonsyndromic MID. This diagnosis is based upon the multisystem nature of his disease, the fact that CVS is most frequently the manifestation of a MID, the family history, the variable phenotypic expression between affected family members, the fact that symptoms were triggered by stress, and that only few symptoms could not be explained by a MID. PMID:24453499

"Psychiatric disorders in smokers seeking treatment for tobacco dependence: Relations with tobacco dependence and cessation": Correction to Piper et al. (2010).

PubMed

2017-09-01

Reports an error in "Psychiatric disorders in smokers seeking treatment for tobacco dependence: Relations with tobacco dependence and cessation" by Megan E. Piper, Stevens S. Smith, Tanya R. Schlam, Michael F. Fleming, Amy A. Bittrich, Jennifer L. Brown, Cathlyn J. Leitzke, Mark E. Zehner, Michael C. Fiore and Timothy B. Baker ( Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 2010[Feb], Vol 78[1], 13-23). There was an error in the Method section in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative version of the CIDI subsection. The authors characterized one of the anxiety conditions analyzed as "panic disorder". However, this should have been labeled as "panic attacks", consequently making the occurrence rates and relations the authors reported actually pertain to panic attacks, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2010-00910-005.) Objective: The present research examined the relation of psychiatric disorders to tobacco dependence and cessation outcomes. Data were collected from 1,504 smokers (58.2% women; 83.9% White; mean age = 44.67 years, SD = 11.08) making an aided smoking cessation attempt as part of a clinical trial. Psychiatric diagnoses were determined with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview structured clinical interview. Tobacco dependence was assessed with the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM). Diagnostic groups included those who were never diagnosed, those who had ever been diagnosed (at any time, including in the past year), and those with past-year diagnoses (with or without prior diagnosis). Some diagnostic groups had lower follow-up abstinence rates than did the never diagnosed group ( ps < .05). At 8 weeks after quitting, strong associations were found between cessation outcome and both past-year mood disorder and ever diagnosed anxiety disorder. At 6 months after quitting, those ever diagnosed with an anxiety disorder ( OR = .72, p = .02) and those ever diagnosed with more than one psychiatric diagnosis ( OR = .74, p = .03) had lower abstinence rates. The diagnostic categories did not differ in smoking heaviness or the FTND, but they did differ in dependence motives assessed with the WISDM. Information on recent or lifetime psychiatric disorders may help clinicians gauge relapse risk and may suggest dependence motives that are particularly relevant to affected patients. These findings also illustrate the importance of using multidimensional tobacco dependence assessments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship of self-reported asthma severity and urgent health care utilization to psychological sequelae of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center among New York City area residents.

PubMed

Fagan, Joanne; Galea, Sandro; Ahern, Jennifer; Bonner, Sebastian; Vlahov, David

2003-01-01

Posttraumatic psychological stress may be associated with increases in somatic illness, including asthma, but the impact of the psychological sequelae of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on physical illness has not been well documented. The authors assessed the relationship between the psychological sequelae of the attacks and asthma symptom severity and the utilization of urgent health care services for asthma since September 11. The authors performed a random digit dial telephone survey of adults in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area 6 to 9 months after September 11, 2001. Two thousand seven hundred fifty-five demographically representative adults including 364 asthmatics were recruited. The authors assessed self-reported asthma symptom severity, emergency room (ER) visits, and unscheduled physician office visits for asthma since September 11. After adjustment for asthma measures before September 11, demographics, and event exposure in multivariate models posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were a significant predictor of self-reported moderate-to-severe asthma symptoms (OR = 3.4; CI = 1.2-9.4), seeking care for asthma at an ER since September 11 (OR = 6.6; CI = 1.6-28.0), and unscheduled physician visits for asthma since September 11 (OR = 3.6; CI = 1.1-11.5). The number of PTSD symptoms was also significantly related to moderate-to-severe asthma symptoms and unscheduled physician visits since September 11. Neither a panic attack on September 11 nor depression since September 11 was an independent predictor of asthma severity or utilization in multivariate models after September 11. PTSD related to the September 11 terrorist attacks contributed to symptom severity and the utilization of urgent health care services among asthmatics in the NYC metropolitan area.

Cognitive factors in panic disorder, agoraphobic avoidance and agoraphobia.

PubMed

Berle, David; Starcevic, Vladan; Hannan, Anthony; Milicevic, Denise; Lamplugh, Claire; Fenech, Pauline

2008-02-01

There remains a lack of consensus regarding the possibility that especially high levels of panic-related cognitions characterise panic disorder with agoraphobia. We administered the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire and the Anxious Thoughts and Tendencies Scale as well as measures of agoraphobic avoidance to patients diagnosed with panic disorder with agoraphobia (n=75) and without agoraphobia (n=26). Patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia did not score significantly higher on any of the cognitive variables than did panic disorder patients without agoraphobia. However, most of the cognitive variables showed small to moderate-strength correlations with self-report measures of agoraphobic avoidance. Our findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity, catastrophising of the consequences of panic and a general anxiety-prone cognitive style, although to some extent associated with agoraphobic avoidance, do not discriminate panic disorder with agoraphobia from panic disorder without agoraphobia.

Stochastic events lead to accretion in Saturn’s rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, L. W.

2009-12-01

UVIS occultations indicate accretion is triggered at the B ring edge, in strong density waves in ring A and in the F ring. Moons may trigger accretion by streamline crowding (Lewis & Stewart); which enhances collisions, leading to accretion; increasing random velocities; leading to more collisions and more accretion. Cassini occultations of these strongly perturbed locations show not only accretion but also disaggregation, with time scales of hours to weeks. The collisions may lead to temporary aggregations via stochastic events: they can compress unconsolidated objects, trigger adhesion or bring small pieces into contact with larger or higher-density seeds. Disaggregation then can follow from disruptive collisions or tidal shedding. In the accretion/disruption balance, increased random motions could eventually give the upper hand to disruption… just as ‘irrational exuberance’ can lead to financial panic in the economy; or the overpopulation of hares can lead to boom-and-bust in the population of foxes. This unstable equilibrium can similarly give rise to episodic cycles in accretion: explaining why the observable ring features that indicate embedded objects have been increasing since the beginning of Cassini’s observations of Saturn in 2004.

Stochastic events lead to accretion in Saturn's rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, Larry W.

2010-05-01

UVIS occultations indicate accretion is triggered at the B ring edge, in strong density waves in ring A and in the F ring. Moons may trigger accretion by streamline crowding (Lewis & Stewart); which enhances collisions, leading to accretion; increasing random velocities; leading to more collisions and more accretion. Cassini occultations of these strongly perturbed locations show not only accretion but also disaggregation, with time scales of hours to weeks. The collisions may lead to temporary aggregations via stochastic events: collisions can compress unconsolidated objects, trigger adhesion or bring small pieces into contact with larger or higher-density seeds. Disaggregation then can follow from disruptive collisions or tidal shedding. In the accretion/disruption balance, increased random motions could eventually give the upper hand to disruption… just as ‘irrational exuberance' can lead to financial panic in the economy; or the overpopulation of hares can lead to boom-and-bust in the population of foxes. This unstable equilibrium can similarly give rise to episodic cycles in accretion: explaining why the observable ring features that indicate embedded objects have been increasing since the beginning of Cassini's observations of Saturn in 2004.

Newly diagnosed panic disorder and the risk of erectile dysfunction: A population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, Yao-Ting; Chen, Hsi-Han; Lin, Ching-Heng; Lee, Shih-Hsiung; Chan, Chin-Hong; Huang, Shiau-Shian

2016-10-30

Previous studies indicated that panic disorder is correlated with erectile dysfunction (ED). The primary aim of this study was to explore the incidence rate of ED among panic disorder patients in an Asian country. The secondary aim was to compare the risk of ED in panic disorder patients that were treated with different kinds of antidepressants, and to explore the possible mechanism between these two disorders. We identified 1393 male patients with newly diagnosed panic disorder from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database. Four matched controls per case were selected for the study group by propensity score. After adjusting for age, obesity and comorbidities, the panic disorder patients had a higher hazard ratio of ED diagnosis than the controls, especially among the untreated panic disorder patients. This retrospective dynamic cohort study supports the link between ED and prior panic disorder in a large sample of panic disorder patients. This study points out the need of early antidepressant treatment for panic disorder to prevent further ED. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A pilot study of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing.

PubMed

Lamplugh, Claire; Berle, David; Milicevic, Denise; Starcevic, Vladan

2008-01-01

This pilot study reports the outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing. This treatment approach encourages acceptance of feelings rather than control of symptoms and anxiety, at the same time also targeting catastrophic misinterpretations, bodily vigilance and safety-seeking behaviours. Eighteen participants completed a brief group treatment for panic disorder incorporating psychoeducation, panic surfing, interoceptive exposure, graded exposure and cognitive restructuring. Significant improvements occurred over the course of this treatment and were maintained at a 1-month follow-up. Results suggest that cognitive behaviour therapy augmented by panic surfing may be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, but there is a need for controlled studies and investigation of the relative contribution of its various components. 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Health assessment of French university students and risk factors associated with mental health disorders

PubMed Central

Geghre, Nicolas; Darmon, David; Rampal, Marion; Brandone, Diane; Gozzo, Jean-Michel; Haas, Hervé; Rebouillat-Savy, Karine; Caci, Hervé; Avillach, Paul

2017-01-01

Objective The first year of university is a particularly stressful period and can impact academic performance and students’ health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health and lifestyle of undergraduates and assess risk factors associated with psychiatric symptoms. Materials and methods Between September 2012 and June 2013, we included all undergraduate students who underwent compulsory a medical visit at the university medical service in Nice (France) during which they were screened for potential diseases during a diagnostic interview. Data were collected prospectively in the CALCIUM database (Consultations Assistés par Logiciel pour les Centres Inter-Universitaire de Médecine) and included information about the students’ lifestyle (living conditions, dietary behavior, physical activity, use of recreational drugs). The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms related to depression, anxiety and panic attacks was assessed and risk factors for these symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression. Results A total of 4,184 undergraduates were included. Prevalence for depression, anxiety and panic attacks were 12.6%, 7.6% and 1.0%, respectively. During the 30 days preceding the evaluation, 0.6% of the students regularly drank alcohol, 6.3% were frequent-to-heavy tobacco smokers, and 10.0% smoked marijuana. Dealing with financial difficulties and having learning disabilities were associated with psychiatric symptoms. Students who were dissatisfied with their living conditions and those with poor dietary behavior were at risk of depression. Being a woman and living alone were associated with anxiety. Students who screened positively for any psychiatric disorder assessed were at a higher risk of having another psychiatric disorder concomitantly. Conclusion The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in undergraduate students is low but the rate of students at risk of developing chronic disease is far from being negligible. Understanding predictors for these symptoms may improve students’ health by implementing targeted prevention campaigns. Further research in other French universities is necessary to confirm our results. PMID:29176864

Health assessment of French university students and risk factors associated with mental health disorders.

PubMed

Tran, Antoine; Tran, Laurie; Geghre, Nicolas; Darmon, David; Rampal, Marion; Brandone, Diane; Gozzo, Jean-Michel; Haas, Hervé; Rebouillat-Savy, Karine; Caci, Hervé; Avillach, Paul

2017-01-01

The first year of university is a particularly stressful period and can impact academic performance and students' health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health and lifestyle of undergraduates and assess risk factors associated with psychiatric symptoms. Between September 2012 and June 2013, we included all undergraduate students who underwent compulsory a medical visit at the university medical service in Nice (France) during which they were screened for potential diseases during a diagnostic interview. Data were collected prospectively in the CALCIUM database (Consultations Assistés par Logiciel pour les Centres Inter-Universitaire de Médecine) and included information about the students' lifestyle (living conditions, dietary behavior, physical activity, use of recreational drugs). The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms related to depression, anxiety and panic attacks was assessed and risk factors for these symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression. A total of 4,184 undergraduates were included. Prevalence for depression, anxiety and panic attacks were 12.6%, 7.6% and 1.0%, respectively. During the 30 days preceding the evaluation, 0.6% of the students regularly drank alcohol, 6.3% were frequent-to-heavy tobacco smokers, and 10.0% smoked marijuana. Dealing with financial difficulties and having learning disabilities were associated with psychiatric symptoms. Students who were dissatisfied with their living conditions and those with poor dietary behavior were at risk of depression. Being a woman and living alone were associated with anxiety. Students who screened positively for any psychiatric disorder assessed were at a higher risk of having another psychiatric disorder concomitantly. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in undergraduate students is low but the rate of students at risk of developing chronic disease is far from being negligible. Understanding predictors for these symptoms may improve students' health by implementing targeted prevention campaigns. Further research in other French universities is necessary to confirm our results.

Late-onset agoraphobia: general population incidence and evidence for a clinical subtype.

PubMed

Ritchie, Karen; Norton, Joanna; Mann, Anthony; Carrière, Isabelle; Ancelin, Marie-Laure

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate the general population incidence of late-life agoraphobia and to define its clinical characteristics and risk factors. A total of 1,968 persons ≥65 years old were randomly recruited from the electoral rolls of the district of Montpellier, France. Prevalent and incident agoraphobia diagnosed with a standardized psychiatric examination and validated by a clinical panel were assessed at baseline and over a 4-year follow-up. The 1-month baseline prevalence of agoraphobia was estimated to be 10.4%. Among persons with agoraphobia, 10.9% reported having their first episode at age 65 or above. During the 4-year follow-up, 11.2% of participants without agoraphobia at baseline had a first episode, resulting in an incidence rate of 32 per 1,000 person-years. These 132 incident late-onset cases were associated with higher incidence rates of anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation. Of the incident cases, only two were characterized by past or concurrent panic attacks, a rate that was not significantly different from that of the noncase group. The principal baseline risk factors for incident cases, derived from a multivariate model incorporating all significant risk factors, were younger age at onset (odds ratio=0.94, 95% CI=0.90-0.99), poorer visuospatial memory performance (odds ratio=1.60, 95% CI=1.02-2.49), severe depression (odds ratio=2.62, 95% CI=1.34-5.10), and trait anxiety (odds ratio=1.73, 95% CI=1.03-2.90). No significant association was found with cardiac pathologies. Agoraphobia has a high prevalence in the elderly, and unlike cases in younger populations, late-onset cases are not more common in women and are not associated with panic attacks, suggesting a late-life subtype. Severe depression, trait anxiety, and poor visuospatial memory are the principal risk factors for late-onset agoraphobia.

Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor type 2 allosteric potentiators prevent sodium lactate-induced panic-like response in panic-vulnerable rats

PubMed Central

Johnson, Philip L; Fitz, Stephanie D; Engleman, Eric A; Svensson, Kjell A; Schkeryantz, Jeffrey M; Shekhar, Anantha

2015-01-01

Rats with chronic inhibition of GABA synthesis by infusion of l-allyglycine, a glutamic acid decarboxylase inhibitor, into their dorsomedial/perifornical hypothalamus are anxious and exhibit panic-like cardio-respiratory responses to treatment with intravenous (i.v.) sodium lactate (NaLac) infusions, in a manner similar to what occurs in patients with panic disorder. We previously showed that either NMDA receptor antagonists or metabotropic glutamate receptor type 2/3 receptor agonists can block such a NaLac response, suggesting that a glutamate mechanism is contributing to this panic-like state. Using this animal model of panic, we tested the efficacy of CBiPES and THIIC, which are selective group II metabotropic glutamate type 2 receptor allosteric potentiators (at 10–30mg/kg i.p.), in preventing NaLac-induced panic-like behavioral and cardiovascular responses. The positive control was alprazolam (3mg/kg i.p.), a clinically effective anti-panic benzodiazepine. As predicted, panic-prone rats given a NaLac challenge displayed NaLac-induced panic-like cardiovascular (i.e. tachycardia and hypertensive) responses and “anxiety” (i.e. decreased social interaction time) and “flight” (i.e. increased locomotion) -associated behaviors; however, systemic injection of the panic-prone rats with CBiPES, THIIC or alprazolam prior to the NaLac dose blocked all NaLac-induced panic-like behaviors and cardiovascular responses. These data suggested that in a rat animal model, selective group II metabotropic glutamate type 2 receptor allosteric potentiators show an anti-panic efficacy similar to alprazolam. PMID:22914798

Do patterns of change during treatment for panic disorder predict future panic symptoms?

PubMed Central

Steinman, Shari A.; Hunter, Michael D.; Teachman, Bethany A.

2012-01-01

Background and Objectives Cognitive-behavioral therapies are currently the gold standard for panic disorder treatment, with well-documented treatment response. However, following interventions, some individuals continue to improve, while others experience a return of symptoms. The field lacks reliable ways to predict follow-up symptomology. In the current study, a cluster analysis with a repeated measures design was conducted to examine change patterns over 12 weeks of cognitive behavioral group therapy for panic disorder. The central aim of the study was to evaluate if change patterns predict level of panic symptom severity at a six month follow-up in this sample. Methods Individuals with panic disorder (N = 36) completed a measure of panic symptoms (Panic Disorder Severity Scale) at the outset of every therapy session and at a six month follow-up. Results Results revealed three patterns of change in this specific trial, which significantly predicted level of panic symptoms six months post-treatment, beyond initial or final level of panic symptoms, and beyond total symptom change. Limitations Given the relatively small, lab-based sample, replications in other settings and samples will be important. Conclusions Overall, results provide initial evidence that change patterns are meaningful predictors of panic symptom severity well after the final session of treatment. PMID:23187115

Association between sleep disorder and panic disorder in South Korea: Nationwide nested case-control study of data from 2004 to 2013.

PubMed

Park, Han Jin; Kim, Min Seok; Park, Eun-Cheol; Jang, Suk-Yong; Kim, Woorim; Han, Kyu-Tae

2017-12-05

After 2010, panic disorders became relatively common in South Korea, with many celebrities confessing to the public that they have panic disorder. The annual number of patients with panic disorder and sleep disorder have been gradually increasing. In light of these increases, we analyzed the relationship between sleep disorder and panic disorder. We used national claim data to design a 1:3 nested case-control study. The study included medical claims filed for 29,312 patients during 2004-2013. We performed conditional logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between sleep disorder and panic disorder. There were 7436 patients who were diagnosed with panic disorder, and 21,876 patients who were gender- and age-matched as controls. Patients with sleep disorder had higher incidence of panic disorder. In particular, patients with insomnia had the strongest association with panic disorder (adjusted, OR, 1.386; 95% CI, 1.201-1.599; p < 0.05). These associations were stronger in healthy patients and those with worse socioeconomic status. In conclusion, sleep disorder, in particular, insomnia was positively associated with panic disorder. Thus, healthcare professionals and policy makers should effectively control insomnia and consider strategies for early intervention for vulnerable patients with risk of panic disorder. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comorbid panic disorder as an independent risk factor for suicide attempts in depressed outpatients.

PubMed

Nam, Yoon-Young; Kim, Chan-Hyung; Roh, Daeyoung

2016-05-01

Although comorbid panic disorder is associated with more severe symptoms and poorer therapeutic response in depressive patients, the relationship between panic disorder and risk of suicide attempt has not been confirmed. This study aimed to examine the relationship between comorbid panic disorder and clinical characteristics associated with suicidal risk as well as the likelihood of suicide attempt. A total of 223 outpatients with current major depressive disorder participated in the study. Both subjects with panic disorder (33%) and those without panic disorder (67%) were compared based on history of suicide attempts, current psychopathologies, and traits of impulsivity and anger. Subjects with panic disorder had higher levels of impulsivity, depression, and hopelessness and were more likely to report a history of suicide attempts. Subjects with panic disorder were younger at the time of first suicide attempt than those without panic disorder. Logistic regression analyses indicated that comorbid panic disorder was significantly associated with a history of suicide attempts after adjusting for other clinical correlates (odds ratio = 2.8; p < 0.01). These findings suggest that comorbid panic disorder in patients with major depressive disorder may be associated with a more severe burden of illness and may independently increase the likelihood of suicide attempt. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Processes Associated with Panic-Related Symptoms in Families with and without Panic Disordered Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Albuquerque, Jiske E. G.; Munsch, Simone; Margraf, Jurgen; Schneider, Silvia

2013-01-01

The present study compared learning processes associated with panic-related symptoms in families with and without panic disordered mothers. Using a multi-informant approach, 86 mothers [of whom 58 had a primary diagnosis of panic disorder (PD)], their partners and teenage children (mean age, 16.67 years) reported about parents' behavior (modeling…

Detection and avoidance of a carnivore odor by prey

PubMed Central

Ferrero, David M.; Lemon, Jamie K.; Fluegge, Daniela; Pashkovski, Stan L.; Korzan, Wayne J.; Datta, Sandeep Robert; Spehr, Marc; Fendt, Markus; Liberles, Stephen D.

2011-01-01

Predator–prey relationships provide a classic paradigm for the study of innate animal behavior. Odors from carnivores elicit stereotyped fear and avoidance responses in rodents, although sensory mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Here, we identified a chemical produced by predators that activates a mouse olfactory receptor and produces an innate behavioral response. We purified this predator cue from bobcat urine and identified it to be a biogenic amine, 2-phenylethylamine. Quantitative HPLC analysis across 38 mammalian species indicates enriched 2-phenylethylamine production by numerous carnivores, with some producing >3,000-fold more than herbivores examined. Calcium imaging of neuronal responses in mouse olfactory tissue slices identified dispersed carnivore odor-selective sensory neurons that also responded to 2-phenylethylamine. Two prey species, rat and mouse, avoid a 2-phenylethylamine odor source, and loss-of-function studies involving enzymatic depletion of 2-phenylethylamine from a carnivore odor indicate it to be required for full avoidance behavior. Thus, rodent olfactory sensory neurons and chemosensory receptors have the capacity for recognizing interspecies odors. One such cue, carnivore-derived 2-phenylethylamine, is a key component of a predator odor blend that triggers hard-wired aversion circuits in the rodent brain. These data show how a single, volatile chemical detected in the environment can drive an elaborate danger-associated behavioral response in mammals. PMID:21690383

Spontaneous activity of isolated dopaminergic periglomerular cells of the main olfactory bulb.

PubMed

Puopolo, Michelino; Bean, Bruce P; Raviola, Elio

2005-11-01

We examined the electrophysiological properties of a population of identified dopaminergic periglomerular cells of the main olfactory bulb using transgenic mice in which catecholaminergic neurons expressed human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) on the outer surface of the plasma membrane. After acute dissociation, living dopaminergic periglomerular cells were identified by a fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibody to PLAP. In current-clamp mode, dopaminergic periglomerular cells spontaneously generated action potentials in a rhythmic fashion with an average frequency of 8 Hz. The hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih) did not seem important for pacemaking because blocking the current with ZD 7288 or Cs+ had little effect on spontaneous firing. To investigate what ionic currents do drive pacemaking, we performed action-potential-clamp experiments using records of pacemaking as voltage command in voltage-clamp experiments. We found that substantial TTX-sensitive Na+ current flows during the interspike depolarization. In addition, substantial Ca2+ current flowed during the interspike interval, and blocking Ca2+ current hyperpolarized the neurons and stopped spontaneous firing. These results show that dopaminergic periglomerular cells have intrinsic pacemaking activity, supporting the possibility that they can maintain a tonic release of dopamine to modulate the sensitivity of the olfactory system during odor detection. Calcium entry into these neurons provides electrical drive for pacemaking as well as triggering transmitter release.

Visualization of the Serratia Type VI Secretion System Reveals Unprovoked Attacks and Dynamic Assembly

PubMed Central

Gerc, Amy J.; Diepold, Andreas; Trunk, Katharina; Porter, Michael; Rickman, Colin; Armitage, Judith P.; Stanley-Wall, Nicola R.; Coulthurst, Sarah J.

2015-01-01

Summary The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a bacterial nanomachine that fires toxic proteins into target cells. Deployment of the T6SS represents an efficient and widespread means by which bacteria attack competitors or interact with host organisms and may be triggered by contact from an attacking neighbor cell as a defensive strategy. Here, we use the opportunist pathogen Serratia marcescens and functional fluorescent fusions of key components of the T6SS to observe different subassemblies of the machinery simultaneously and on multiple timescales in vivo. We report that the localization and dynamic behavior of each of the components examined is distinct, revealing a multi-stage and dynamic assembly process for the T6SS machinery. We also show that the T6SS can assemble and fire without needing a cell contact trigger, defining an aggressive strategy that broadens target range and suggesting that activation of the T6SS is tailored to survival in specific niches. PMID:26387948

SUNCT syndrome. Two cases in Argentina.

PubMed

Raimondi, E; Gardella, L

1998-05-01

Two patients suffering from SUNCT syndrome are presented. Some features are remarkable. The first patient was a 69-year-old man whose first crisis was located in the right supraorbital region. After a 4-month spontaneous remission, the pain returned to the upper part of the cheek, radiating to the supraciliary region on the same side, with lacrimation and conjunctival injection. Rhinorrhea was absent. The painful attacks were triggered by head movements. Clinical improvement occurred with carbamazepine treatment. The second patient was a 48-year-old woman whose painful attacks lasted from 30 to 45 seconds followed by a burning sensation lasting 2 hours. Autonomic signs such as conjunctival injection, lacrimation, and edema and ipsilateral ptosis of the upper lid were rather marked. There was never any rhinorrhea. Her attacks were triggered by head and eye movements. She responded to the administration of corticosteroids and carbamazepine. According to these features, the two patients had SUNCT syndrome, and the positive carbamazepine response suggests a relationship with trigeminal neuralgia.

Why does sleep stop migraine?

PubMed

Bigal, Marcelo E; Hargreaves, Richard J

2013-10-01

The relationship between sleep and migraine headaches is complex. Changes in sleep patterns can trigger migraine attacks, and sleep disorders may be associated with increased migraine frequency. Furthermore, migraine patients and their doctors very consistently report that sleep relieves already established migraine attacks. Herein we will try to answer the question, "Why does sleep stop migraine?" Since evidence for this relationship is largely based on empirical clinical observation, we will not provide a clinical review of the association. Instead, we will focus on the pathophysiology of migraine attacks and its intersections with sleep biology.

Porphyria

MedlinePlus

... numbness, tingling, paralysis, or cramping; vomiting; constipation; and personality changes or mental disorders. These symptoms come and go. Certain triggers can cause an attack, including some medicines, smoking, drinking alcohol, ...

Tightening the focus: moral panic, moral regulation and liberal government.

PubMed

Hier, Sean P

2011-09-01

The purpose of this article is to tighten the focus of moral panic studies by clarifying and elaborating on an analytical framework that conceptualizes moral panic as a form of moral regulation. The first part of the article explains why moral panic should be conceptualized as a form of moral regulation. The second part presents a rejoinder to Critcher's (2009) critique of the widening focus of moral panic studies. The third part elaborates on the conceptual relationship between the sociologies of moral panic and moral regulation by offering fresh insights into the sociological and political importance of moral panic as a technique of liberal government. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2011.

Mucosal transmission and pathogenesis of chronic wasting disease in ferrets.

PubMed

Perrott, Matthew R; Sigurdson, Christina J; Mason, Gary L; Hoover, Edward A

2013-02-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids is almost certainly transmitted by mucosal contact with the causative prion, whether by direct (animal-to-animal) or indirect (environmental) means. Yet the sites and mechanisms of prion entry remain to be further understood. This study sought to extend this understanding by demonstrating that ferrets exposed to CWD via several mucosal routes developed infection, CWD prion protein (PrP(CWD)) amplification in lymphoid tissues, neural invasion and florid transmissible spongiform encephalopathy lesions resembling those in native cervid hosts. The ferrets developed extensive PrP(CWD) accumulation in the nervous system, retina and olfactory epithelium, with lesser deposition in tongue, muscle, salivary gland and the vomeronasal organ. PrP(CWD) accumulation in mucosal sites, including upper respiratory tract epithelium, olfactory epithelium and intestinal Peyer's patches, make the shedding of prions by infected ferrets plausible. It was also observed that regionally targeted exposure of the nasopharyngeal mucosa resulted in an increased attack rate when compared with oral exposure. The latter finding suggests that nasal exposure enhances permissiveness to CWD infection. The ferret model has further potential for investigation of portals for initiation of CWD infection.

Mucosal transmission and pathogenesis of chronic wasting disease in ferrets

PubMed Central

Perrott, Matthew R.; Sigurdson, Christina J.; Mason, Gary L.

2013-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids is almost certainly transmitted by mucosal contact with the causative prion, whether by direct (animal-to-animal) or indirect (environmental) means. Yet the sites and mechanisms of prion entry remain to be further understood. This study sought to extend this understanding by demonstrating that ferrets exposed to CWD via several mucosal routes developed infection, CWD prion protein (PrPCWD) amplification in lymphoid tissues, neural invasion and florid transmissible spongiform encephalopathy lesions resembling those in native cervid hosts. The ferrets developed extensive PrPCWD accumulation in the nervous system, retina and olfactory epithelium, with lesser deposition in tongue, muscle, salivary gland and the vomeronasal organ. PrPCWD accumulation in mucosal sites, including upper respiratory tract epithelium, olfactory epithelium and intestinal Peyer’s patches, make the shedding of prions by infected ferrets plausible. It was also observed that regionally targeted exposure of the nasopharyngeal mucosa resulted in an increased attack rate when compared with oral exposure. The latter finding suggests that nasal exposure enhances permissiveness to CWD infection. The ferret model has further potential for investigation of portals for initiation of CWD infection. PMID:23100363

Aggression and courtship in Drosophila: pheromonal communication and sex recognition.

PubMed

Fernández, María Paz; Kravitz, Edward A

2013-11-01

Upon encountering a conspecific in the wild, males have to rapidly detect, integrate and process the most relevant signals to evoke an appropriate behavioral response. Courtship and aggression are the most important social behaviors in nature for procreation and survival: for males, making the right choice between the two depends on the ability to identify the sex of the other individual. In flies as in most species, males court females and attack other males. Although many sensory modalities are involved in sex recognition, chemosensory communication mediated by specific molecules that serve as pheromones plays a key role in helping males distinguish between courtship and aggression targets. The chemosensory signals used by flies include volatile and non-volatile compounds, detected by the olfactory and gustatory systems. Recently, several putative olfactory and gustatory receptors have been identified that play key roles in sex recognition, allowing investigators to begin to map the neuronal circuits that convey this sensory information to higher processing centers in the brain. Here, we describe how Drosophila melanogaster males use taste and smell to make correct behavioral choices.

Aggression and Courtship in Drosophila: Pheromonal Communication and Sex Recognition

PubMed Central

Fernández, María Paz; Kravitz, Edward A.

2013-01-01

Upon encountering a conspecific in the wild, males have to rapidly detect, integrate and process the most relevant signals to evoke an appropriate behavioral response. Courtship and aggression are the most important social behaviors in nature for procreation and survival: for males, making the right choice between the two depends on the ability to identify the sex of the other individual. In flies as in most species, males court females and attack other males. Although many sensory modalities are involved in sex recognition, chemosensory communication mediated by specific molecules that serve as pheromones plays a key role in helping males distinguish between courtship and aggression targets. The chemosensory signals used by flies include volatile and non-volatile compounds, detected by the olfactory and gustatory systems. Recently, several putative olfactory and gustatory receptors have been identified that play key roles in sex recognition, allowing investigators to begin to map the neuronal circuits that convey this sensory information to higher processing centers in the brain. Here, we describe how Drosophila melanogaster males use taste and smell to make correct behavioral choices. PMID:24043358

Voltage-gated currents in identified rat olfactory receptor neurons.

PubMed

Trombley, P Q; Westbrook, G L

1991-02-01

Whole-cell recording techniques were used to characterize voltage-gated membrane currents in neonatal rat olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) in cell culture. Mature ORNs were identified in culture by their characteristic bipolar morphology, by retrograde labeling techniques, and by olfactory marker protein (OMP) immunoreactivity. ORNs did not have spontaneous activity, but fired action potentials to depolarizing current pulses. Action potentials were blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX), which contrasts with the TTX-resistant action potentials in salamander olfactory receptor cells (e.g., Firestein and Werblin, 1987). Prolonged, suprathreshold current pulses evoked only a single action potential; however, repetitive firing up to 35 Hz could be elicited by a series of brief depolarizing pulses. Under voltage clamp, the TTX-sensitive sodium current had activation and inactivation properties similar to other excitable cells. In TTX and 20 mM barium, sustained inward current were evoked by voltage steps positive to -30 mV. This current was blocked by Cd (100 microM) and by nifedipine (IC50 = 368 nM) consistent with L-type calcium channels in other neurons. No T-type calcium current was observed. Voltage steps positive to -20 mV also evoked an outward current that did not inactivate during 100-msec depolarizations. Tail current analysis of this current was consistent with a selective potassium conductance. The outward current was blocked by external tetraethylammonium but was unaffected by Cd or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) or by removal of external calcium. A transient outward current was not observed. The 3 voltage-dependent conductances in cultured rat ORNs appear to be sufficient for 2 essential functions: action potential generation and transmitter release. As a single odorant-activated channel can trigger an action potential (e.g., Lynch and Barry, 1989), the repetitive firing seen with brief depolarizing pulses suggests that ORNs do not integrate sensory input, but rather act as high-fidelity relays such that each opening of an odorant-activated channel reaches the olfactory bulb glomeruli as an action potential.

Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein and Dendritic Local Translation of the Alpha Subunit of the Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Kinase II Messenger RNA Are Required for the Structural Plasticity Underlying Olfactory Learning.

PubMed

Daroles, Laura; Gribaudo, Simona; Doulazmi, Mohamed; Scotto-Lomassese, Sophie; Dubacq, Caroline; Mandairon, Nathalie; Greer, Charles August; Didier, Anne; Trembleau, Alain; Caillé, Isabelle

2016-07-15

In the adult brain, structural plasticity allowing gain or loss of synapses remodels circuits to support learning. In fragile X syndrome, the absence of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) leads to defects in plasticity and learning deficits. FMRP is a master regulator of local translation but its implication in learning-induced structural plasticity is unknown. Using an olfactory learning task requiring adult-born olfactory bulb neurons and cell-specific ablation of FMRP, we investigated whether learning shapes adult-born neuron morphology during their synaptic integration and its dependence on FMRP. We used alpha subunit of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (αCaMKII) mutant mice with altered dendritic localization of αCaMKII messenger RNA, as well as a reporter of αCaMKII local translation to investigate the role of this FMRP messenger RNA target in learning-dependent structural plasticity. Learning induces profound changes in dendritic architecture and spine morphology of adult-born neurons that are prevented by ablation of FMRP in adult-born neurons and rescued by an metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 antagonist. Moreover, dendritically translated αCaMKII is necessary for learning and associated structural modifications and learning triggers an FMRP-dependent increase of αCaMKII dendritic translation in adult-born neurons. Our results strongly suggest that FMRP mediates structural plasticity of olfactory bulb adult-born neurons to support olfactory learning through αCaMKII local translation. This reveals a new role for FMRP-regulated dendritic local translation in learning-induced structural plasticity. This might be of clinical relevance for the understanding of critical periods disruption in autism spectrum disorder patients, among which fragile X syndrome is the primary monogenic cause. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Intolerance of Uncertainty in Patients with Panic Disorder.

PubMed

Kim, Min Kuk; Lee, Kang Soo; Kim, Borah; Choi, Tai Kiu; Lee, Sang-Hyuk

2016-03-01

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic construct in various anxiety and depressive disorders. However, the relationship between IU and panic symptom severity is not yet fully understood. We examined the relationship between IU, panic, and depressive symptoms during mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in patients with panic disorder. We screened 83 patients with panic disorder and subsequently enrolled 69 of them in the present study. Patients participating in MBCT for panic disorder were evaluated at baseline and at 8 weeks using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS), Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). There was a significant decrease in scores on the IUS (p<0.001), PDSS (p<0.001), and BDI (p<0.001) following MBCT for panic disorder. Pre-treatment IUS scores significantly correlated with pre-treatment PDSS (p=0.003) and BDI (p=0.003) scores. We also found a significant association between the reduction in IU and PDSS after controlling for the reduction in the BDI score (p<0.001). IU may play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of panic disorder. MBCT is effective in lowering IU in patients with panic disorder.

Honey Bee Inhibitory Signaling Is Tuned to Threat Severity and Can Act as a Colony Alarm Signal

PubMed Central

Li, Xinyu; Liu, Xiwen; Wang, Chao; Li, Jianjun

2016-01-01

Alarm communication is a key adaptation that helps social groups resist predation and rally defenses. In Asia, the world’s largest hornet, Vespa mandarinia, and the smaller hornet, Vespa velutina, prey upon foragers and nests of the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana. We attacked foragers and colony nest entrances with these predators and provide the first evidence, in social insects, of an alarm signal that encodes graded danger and attack context. We show that, like Apis mellifera, A. cerana possesses a vibrational “stop signal,” which can be triggered by predator attacks upon foragers and inhibits waggle dancing. Large hornet attacks were more dangerous and resulted in higher bee mortality. Per attack at the colony level, large hornets elicited more stop signals than small hornets. Unexpectedly, stop signals elicited by large hornets (SS large hornet) had a significantly higher vibrational fundamental frequency than those elicited by small hornets (SS small hornet) and were more effective at inhibiting waggle dancing. Stop signals resulting from attacks upon the nest entrance (SS nest) were produced by foragers and guards and were significantly longer in pulse duration than stop signals elicited by attacks upon foragers (SS forager). Unlike SS forager, SS nest were targeted at dancing and non-dancing foragers and had the common effect, tuned to hornet threat level, of inhibiting bee departures from the safe interior of the nest. Meanwhile, nest defenders were triggered by the bee alarm pheromone and live hornet presence to heat-ball the hornet. In A. cerana, sophisticated recruitment communication that encodes food location, the waggle dance, is therefore matched with an inhibitory/alarm signal that encodes information about the context of danger and its threat level. PMID:27014876

Honey Bee Inhibitory Signaling Is Tuned to Threat Severity and Can Act as a Colony Alarm Signal.

PubMed

Tan, Ken; Dong, Shihao; Li, Xinyu; Liu, Xiwen; Wang, Chao; Li, Jianjun; Nieh, James C

2016-03-01

Alarm communication is a key adaptation that helps social groups resist predation and rally defenses. In Asia, the world's largest hornet, Vespa mandarinia, and the smaller hornet, Vespa velutina, prey upon foragers and nests of the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana. We attacked foragers and colony nest entrances with these predators and provide the first evidence, in social insects, of an alarm signal that encodes graded danger and attack context. We show that, like Apis mellifera, A. cerana possesses a vibrational "stop signal," which can be triggered by predator attacks upon foragers and inhibits waggle dancing. Large hornet attacks were more dangerous and resulted in higher bee mortality. Per attack at the colony level, large hornets elicited more stop signals than small hornets. Unexpectedly, stop signals elicited by large hornets (SS large hornet) had a significantly higher vibrational fundamental frequency than those elicited by small hornets (SS small hornet) and were more effective at inhibiting waggle dancing. Stop signals resulting from attacks upon the nest entrance (SS nest) were produced by foragers and guards and were significantly longer in pulse duration than stop signals elicited by attacks upon foragers (SS forager). Unlike SS forager, SS nest were targeted at dancing and non-dancing foragers and had the common effect, tuned to hornet threat level, of inhibiting bee departures from the safe interior of the nest. Meanwhile, nest defenders were triggered by the bee alarm pheromone and live hornet presence to heat-ball the hornet. In A. cerana, sophisticated recruitment communication that encodes food location, the waggle dance, is therefore matched with an inhibitory/alarm signal that encodes information about the context of danger and its threat level.

Honey Bees Modulate Their Olfactory Learning in the Presence of Hornet Predators and Alarm Component.

PubMed

Wang, Zhengwei; Qu, Yufeng; Dong, Shihao; Wen, Ping; Li, Jianjun; Tan, Ken; Menzel, Randolf

2016-01-01

In Southeast Asia the native honey bee species Apis cerana is often attacked by hornets (Vespa velutina), mainly in the period from April to November. During the co-evolution of these two species honey bees have developed several strategies to defend themselves such as learning the odors of hornets and releasing alarm components to inform other mates. However, so far little is known about whether and how honey bees modulate their olfactory learning in the presence of the hornet predator and alarm components of honey bee itself. In the present study, we test for associative olfactory learning of A. cerana in the presence of predator odors, the alarm pheromone component isopentyl acetate (IPA), or a floral odor (hexanal) as a control. The results show that bees can detect live hornet odors, that there is almost no association between the innately aversive hornet odor and the appetitive stimulus sucrose, and that IPA is less well associated with an appetitive stimulus when compared with a floral odor. In order to imitate natural conditions, e.g. when bees are foraging on flowers and a predator shows up, or alarm pheromone is released by a captured mate, we tested combinations of the hornet odor and floral odor, or IPA and floral odor. Both of these combinations led to reduced learning scores. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the prey-predator system between A. cerana and V. velutina.

Don't panic: interpretation bias is predictive of new onsets of panic disorder.

PubMed

Woud, Marcella L; Zhang, Xiao Chi; Becker, Eni S; McNally, Richard J; Margraf, Jürgen

2014-01-01

Psychological models of panic disorder postulate that interpretation of ambiguous material as threatening is an important maintaining factor for the disorder. However, demonstrations of whether such a bias predicts onset of panic disorder are missing. In the present study, we used data from the Dresden Prediction Study, in which a epidemiologic sample of young German women was tested at two time points approximately 17 months apart, allowing the study of biased interpretation as a potential risk factor. At time point one, participants completed an Interpretation Questionnaire including two types of ambiguous scenarios: panic-related and general threat-related. Analyses revealed that a panic-related interpretation bias predicted onset of panic disorder, even after controlling for two established risk factors: anxiety sensitivity and fear of bodily sensations. This is the first prospective study demonstrating the incremental validity of interpretation bias as a predictor of panic disorder onset. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between ACE polymorphism and panic disorder.

PubMed

Gulec-Yılmaz, Seda; Gulec, Huseyın; Dalan, Altay Burak; Cetın, Bugra; Tımırcı-Kahraman, Ozlem; Ogut, Dıcle Bılge; Atasoy, Hande; Dırımen, Gulız Arikan; Gultekın, Guldal Inal; Isbır, Turgay

2014-01-01

The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene, which has been found to have an insertion and deletion polymorphism (I/D), is of increasing interest in etiology and treatment of various psychiatric disorders such as panic disorder. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between ACE polymorphism and panic disorder. In this study, 43 patients diagnosed with panic disorder at the Erenköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul and 41 healthy controls were enrolled. The ACE gene insertion/deletion polymorphism of exon 16 was evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction method. There was a significant association between I/D genotype and panic disorder (p=0.003). However, the frequency of the I allele was found to be significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p=0.002). In addition, we recognized a significant association between I/D polymorphism and respiratory-type panic disorder in patients. Carriers of the D allele also had an increased risk of respiratory type panic disorder patients (p=0.034). Moreover, the result of Spearman correlation analysis showed an association with ACE D allele and severity of panic disorder (p<0.001). We suggest that the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene is associated with panic disorder and particularly respiratory-type panic disorder in patients. The I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene seems to influence therapeutic outcome in patients suffering from panic disorder. Our results indicate that ACE D allele is associated with the severity of panic disorder. Copyright © 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Counteracting Power Analysis Attacks by Masking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oswald, Elisabeth; Mangard, Stefan

The publication of power analysis attacks [12] has triggered a lot of research activities. On the one hand these activities have been dedicated toward the development of secure and efficient countermeasures. On the other hand also new and improved attacks have been developed. In fact, there has been a continuous arms race between designers of countermeasures and attackers. This chapter provides a brief overview of the state-of-the art in the arms race in the context of a countermeasure called masking. Masking is a popular countermeasure that has been extensively discussed in the scientific community. Numerous articles have been published that explain different types of masking and that analyze weaknesses of this countermeasure.

Quarantine after an international biological weapons attack: medical and public health requirements for containment.

PubMed

Oren, Meir

2004-11-01

The world now faces the dreadful possibility of biological weapons attacks by terrorists. Healthcare systems would have to cope with such emergencies should all preemptive measures fail. Information gained from the Global Mercury exercise and the SARS outbreak has shown that containing an outbreak at the start is more effective than reacting to it once it has spread and that containment should be treated both nationally and internationally. On the national level this entails developing rapid and effective methods to detect and identify infected cases, and implementing isolation and control measures to lower the risk of further transmission of the disease while assuring the safety of medical teams and laboratory workers. Strategic contingency plans should incorporate well-defined procedures for hospitalization and isolation of patients, providing regional backup of medical personnel and equipment and maintaining close cooperation between the various bodies in the healthcare system. Quarantine is an effective containment measure, especially if voluntarily imposed. Modern communication systems can help by sending professional teams timely instructions and providing the public with information to reduce panic and stress during quarantine procedures. Informing the public poses a dilemma: finding a balance between giving advance warning of an imminent epidemic outbreak and ascertaining the likelihood of its occurrence. Containment of international bioterrorist attacks depends entirely on close international cooperation to implement national and international strategic contingency plans with free exchange of information and recognition of procedures.