No abstract available.
Panic Disorder* ; Panic*

Sleep disturbance is a one of common complaints among patients with panic disorder. However, clinicians and researchers did not give much attention to the sleep symptoms of panic disorder yet. Several previous studies suggested that the sleep disturbance in panic disorder is mediated by nocturnal panic attack. In terms of the pathophysiology of panic disorder, nocturnal panic attack seems to be closely associated with the sleep problems in panic disorder. In this article, the authors reviewed various previous studies about sleep of panic disorder and intended to give importance of evaluating sleep disturbances and nocturnal panic attack in panic disorder for both clinical and research purpose.
Humans ; Panic ; Panic Disorder

No abstract available.
Panic Disorder ; Panic

The therapeutic effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT) for panic disorder and agoraphobia (PD/PDA) has been supported by evidences from the several studies. We the have experienced good results of CBT for more than 50 patients with PD/PDA for last two years. In spite of the powerful therapeutic effect, CBT has not been utilized well by psychiatrists in this country. We described the cognitive conceptualization of panic and agoraphobia, fiequently used assessments and homeworks in CBT for PD/PDA, and detailed concepts and methods of the each component of CBT based on our experience. Also, we discussed the comparative studies of the therapeutic results and factors that could influence the effect of CBT for PD/PDA.
Agoraphobia ; Humans ; Panic Disorder* ; Panic* ; Psychiatry

No abstract available.
Anxiety Disorders* ; Anxiety* ; Panic Disorder* ; Panic*

OBJECTIVES: It is increasingly thought that the human cerebellum plays an important role in emotion and cognition. Although recent evidence suggests that the cerebellum may also be implicated in fear learning, only a limited number of studies have investigated the cerebellar abnormalities in panic disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cerebellar gray matter deficits and their clinical correlations among patients with panic disorder. METHODS: Using a voxel-based morphometry approach with a high-resolution spatially unbiased infratentorial template, regional cerebellar gray matter density was compared between 23 patients with panic disorder and 33 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The gray matter density in the right posterior-superior (lobule Crus I) and left posterior-inferior (lobules Crus II, VIIb, VIIIa) cerebellum was significantly reduced in the panic disorder group compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected, extent threshold = 100 voxels). Additionally, the gray matter reduction in the left posterior-inferior cerebellum (lobule VIIIa) was significantly associated with greater panic symptom severity (r = -0.55, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the gray matter deficits in the posterior cerebellum may be involved in the pathogenesis of panic disorder. Further studies are needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the cerebro-cerebellar network in panic disorder.
Cerebellum* ; Cognition ; Humans ; Learning ; Panic ; Panic Disorder*

No abstract available.
Panic Disorder* ; Primary Health Care*

OBJECTIVES: Panic disorder is a chronic condition that may carry significant negative impact on the quality of life in patients. However, the association between quality of life in panic patients and their clinical characteristics has not been investigated. Aim of this study is to compare quality of life in panic patients and healthy controls by using WHO Quality of Life(QOL) Scale that evaluates the domains of physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment. Additionally, relationship between clinical factors in patients with panic disorders and their quality of life were explored. METHOD: 64 patients with panic disorder and 27 healthy controls were recruited in this study and WHO QOL Scales were completed. Total scores and scores of domains of WHO QOL Scale in two groups were compared. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to examine the relationship between quality of life and the clinical characteristics in patients with panic disorder. RESULTS: Total scores and scores of all domains except environmental domain of WHO QOL scale in patients with panic disorder were decreased compared to those in healthy controls. Clinical characteristics including the severity of agoraphobia and depression, number of symptoms during panic attacks and the frequency of panic attacks showed significant correlation with quality of life in general and most of subscales of QOL. Multiple regression revealed that the severity of depression, the number of symptoms during panic attacks and the severity of agoraphobia in the presence of accompanied persons were factors directly affecting the quality of life in the patients with panic disorder. CONCLUSION: Quality of life in patients with panic disorder was poorer than that of healthy controls. The severity of depression, the number of symptoms during panic attacks and the severity of agoraphobia in the presence of accompany were related to the quality of life in the patients with panic disorder.
Agoraphobia ; Depression ; Humans ; Panic Disorder* ; Panic* ; Quality of Life* ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Recent neuroimaging findings have revealed that paralimbic and prefrontal regions are involved in panic disorder (PD). However, no imaging studies have compared differences in cortical thickness between patients with PD and healthy control (HC) subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-seven right-handed patients with PD who met the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition-text revision, and 30 HC subjects were enrolled. We used the FreeSurfer software package for estimating the cortical thickness of regions of interest, including the temporal pole, insula, and pars triangularis (mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex). RESULTS: Cortical thickness of the temporal pole (p=0.033, right), insula (p=0.017, left), and pars triangularis (p=0.008, left; p=0.025, right) in patients with PD was significantly lower, compared with HC subjects (Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction). Exploratory analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between the cortical thickness of the right temporal pole and Beck Depression Inventory scores (r=-0.333, p=0.027) in patients with PD and positive correlations between the cortical thickness of the left pars triangularis and Panic Disorder Severity Scale (r=0.429, p=0.004), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (r=0.380, p=0.011), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (r=0.421, p=0.004) scores using Pearson's correlation. CONCLUSION: Ours study is the first to demonstrate cortical thickness reduction in the temporal pole, insula, and pars triangularis in patients with PD, compared with the HC subjects. These findings suggest that reduced cortical thickness could play an important role in the pathophysiology of PD.
Anxiety ; Broca Area* ; Depression ; Humans ; Neuroimaging ; Panic Disorder* ; Panic*

OBJECTIVE: Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks, persistent concerns about additional attacks, and worry about the implications of the attack or significant changes in behavior related to the attacks. We examined the efficacy of 24-week naturalistic, open-label escitalopram treatment in terms of the response and remission rates and functional disability in 119 adult Korean patients with panic disorder from 6 clinical centers in South Korea. METHODS: Clinical severity and functional impairment were assessed at baseline and at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after the treatment using the Panic Disorder Severity Scale and Sheehan Disability Scale. Ninety-six patients (80.7%) showed a treatment response, and 87 patients (73.1%) had attained remission after 24 weeks of escitalopram treatment. RESULTS: Continuous improvement in the Panic Disorder Severity Scale and Sheehan Disability Scale scores was found over the 24 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that escitalopram treatment is very effective for panic disorder in terms of both response and remission rates and that long-term pharmacotherapy with escitalopram continuously improved panic symptoms and functional disability in Korean patients with panic disorder.
Adult ; Antidepressive Agents ; Citalopram ; Humans ; Panic ; Panic Disorder ; Prospective Studies