Effect of Comorbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Panic Disorder on Defensive Responding

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Katz ◽  
Anna Weinberg ◽  
Stephanie M. Gorka ◽  
Randy P. Auerbach ◽  
Stewart A. Shankman
Keyword(s):  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Eyeblink Response ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Startle Eyeblink ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Defensive Responding

Abstract. Although panic disorder (PD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are characterized by heightened sensitivity to threat, no study to date has examined the effect of comorbid PD and PTSD on defensive responding. The present study probed startle eyeblink response to an acoustic probe in three groups of participants recruited from the community: (1) healthy individuals (n = 63), (2) individuals with PD without PTSD (n = 62), and (3) individuals with comorbid PD and PTSD (n = 24). Results indicated that PD individuals without PTSD exhibited greater sensitivity to threat relative to controls, and comorbid individuals displayed attenuated sensitivity to threat relative to PD individuals without PTSD (both ps < .05). The results are discussed in the context of the anxiety disorder spectrum, which postulates that anxiety disorders exist on a continuum spanning from specific/simple fear to broad distress, with defensive responding decreasing as distress increases.

The effects of CO2 inhalation in patients with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 168-168
Author(s):  
C. Muhtz ◽  
J. Daneshi ◽  
M. Braun ◽  
M. Kellner
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Few Data

IntroductionPanic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is currently classified as an anxiety disorder in DSM-IV, share some clinical characteristics. Emerging evidence suggests that CO2-induced fear reactivity is associated with anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder. However, there are only very few data available about the sensitivity of patients with PTSD to carbon dioxide.AimTo examine the psychometric effects of CO2 on panic anxiety and PTSD symptoms in subjects with PTSD.MethodsIn 10 patients with PTSD, 10 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects and additional 8 patients with panic disorder we assessed anxiety, panic, dissociative and PTSD symptoms before and after a single vital capacity inhalation of 35% CO2.ResultsInhalation of a single deep breath of 35% of carbon dioxide resulted in significant panicogenic and anxiogenic effects in PTSD patients versus healthy controls, which were similar to the well known responses of patients with panic disorder. Furthermore, significant pro-dissociative effects and significant provocation of post-traumatic flashbacks and PTSD symptoms were observed in PTSD patients.ConclusionsThese data provide novel evidence that panic disorder and PTSD share a common hypersensitivity to CO2 and thus might belong to the same spectrum of vulnerability.

Panic disorder following torture by suffocation is associated with predominantly respiratory symptoms

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
COLIN BOUWER ◽  
DAN STEIN
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Panic Attacks ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
History Of ◽  
Post Traumatic

Background. We previously reported that in panic disorder a history of near-suffocation is associated with predominantly respiratory panic attacks. It might be hypothesized that the near-suffocation experienced in certain kinds of torture is also associated with the development of predominantly respiratory panic attacks.Methods. A sample of patients who had experienced torture (N=14) was drawn from an Anxiety Disorders Clinic in South Africa. Subjects were questioned about symptoms of panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.Results. Patients with a history of torture by suffocation were more likely than other patients to complain of predominantly respiratory symptoms during panic attacks. These patients also demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms.Conclusions. While various interpretations of the data can be made, it is possible that torture by suffocation is associated with a specific symptomatic profile. Were such an association to be replicated, this would perhaps support the suffocation alarm hypothesis of panic disorder and provide evidence that specific environmental factors play a role in the development of this alarm.

A twin study of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, panic disorder symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder in men

2001 ◽  
Vol 103 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 133-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunanta I Chantarujikapong ◽  
Jeffrey F Scherrer ◽  
Hong Xian ◽  
Seth A Eisen ◽  
Michael J Lyons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Twin Study ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic
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