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Journal of Anxiety Disorders May 2017Panic 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...
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.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Comorbidity; Female; Humans; Indians, North American; Interview, Psychological; Male; Middle Aged; Panic; Panic Disorder; Prevalence; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; United States; Young Adult
PubMed: 27720578
DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.10.004 -
Psychological Medicine Mar 2023Agoraphobic avoidance of everyday situations is a common feature in many mental health disorders. Avoidance can be due to a variety of fears, including concerns about...
BACKGROUND
Agoraphobic avoidance of everyday situations is a common feature in many mental health disorders. Avoidance can be due to a variety of fears, including concerns about negative social evaluation, panicking, and harm from others. The result is inactivity and isolation. Behavioural avoidance tasks (BATs) provide an objective assessment of avoidance and anxiety but are challenging to administer and lack standardisation. Our aim was to draw on the principles of BATs to develop a self-report measure of agoraphobia symptoms.
METHOD
The scale was developed with 194 patients with agoraphobia in the context of psychosis, 427 individuals in the general population with high levels of agoraphobia, and 1094 individuals with low levels of agoraphobia. Factor analysis, item response theory, and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used. Validity was assessed against a BAT, actigraphy data, and an existing agoraphobia measure. Test-retest reliability was assessed with 264 participants.
RESULTS
An eight-item questionnaire with avoidance and distress response scales was developed. The avoidance and distress scales each had an excellent model fit and reliably assessed agoraphobic symptoms across the severity spectrum. All items were highly discriminative (avoidance: = 1.24-5.43; distress: = 1.60-5.48), indicating that small increases in agoraphobic symptoms led to a high probability of item endorsement. The scale demonstrated good internal reliability, test-retest reliability, and validity.
CONCLUSIONS
The Oxford Agoraphobic Avoidance Scale has excellent psychometric properties. Clinical cut-offs and score ranges are provided. This precise assessment tool may help focus attention on the clinically important problem of agoraphobic avoidance.
Topics: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Agoraphobia; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Fear; Panic Disorder
PubMed: 37010211
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291721002713 -
ACS Chemical Neuroscience Aug 2014Chemotherapeutic agents nauseate cancer patients. Some individuals with schizophrenia hear voices. Chronic pain can be reduced by analgesics. Nausea, voices, and pain... (Review)
Review
Chemotherapeutic agents nauseate cancer patients. Some individuals with schizophrenia hear voices. Chronic pain can be reduced by analgesics. Nausea, voices, and pain are examples of internal (interoceptive) stimuli closely linked with a disease and/or its treatment. There is evidence that the perception and, hence, role of these internal stimuli can be modified by one's learning history. There is also increased awareness by researchers and practitioners of the potential import of learning involving internal states to some diseases and psychopathologies. Unfortunately, the science, theory, and practice appear to be trailing behind awareness. In this mini-review, we describe two examples: smoking and panic disorder. While doing so, we discuss the need to develop translationally relevant animal models that will allow investigators to better understand the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying interoception and learning.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Humans; Interoception; Learning; Panic Disorder; Smoking
PubMed: 25010473
DOI: 10.1021/cn5001028 -
Clinical Medicine & Research Jun 2018Flushing disorders with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract represent a heterogeneous group of conditions. In part 1 of this review series, neuroendocrine tumors... (Review)
Review
Flushing disorders with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract represent a heterogeneous group of conditions. In part 1 of this review series, neuroendocrine tumors (NET), mast cell activation disorders (MCAD), and hyperbasophilia were discussed. In this section we discuss the remaining flushing disorders which primarily or secondarily involve the gastrointestinal tract. This includes dumping syndrome, mesenteric traction syndrome, rosacea, hyperthyroidism and thyroid storm, anaphylaxis, panic disorders, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and food, alcohol and medications. With the exception of paroxysmal pain disorders, panic disorders and some medications, these disorders presents with dry flushing. A detailed and comprehensive family, social, medical and surgical history, as well as recognizing the presence of other systemic symptoms are important in distinguishing the different disease that cause flushing with gastrointestinal symptoms.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Anaphylaxis; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Dumping Syndrome; Flushing; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Hyperthyroidism; Pain; Panic Disorder; Rectum; Rosacea; Thyroid Crisis
PubMed: 29650526
DOI: 10.3121/cmr.2017.1379b -
Prevalence and treatment of panic disorder in bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis.Evidence-based Mental Health May 2018Recent data suggest that anxiety disorders are as often comorbid with bipolar disorder (BD) as with unipolar depression. The literature on panic disorder (PD) comorbid... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
QUESTION
Recent data suggest that anxiety disorders are as often comorbid with bipolar disorder (BD) as with unipolar depression. The literature on panic disorder (PD) comorbid with BD has been systematically reviewed and subject to meta-analysis.
STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were thoroughly followed for literature search, selection and reporting of available evidence. The variance-stabilising Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation was used in the meta-analysis of prevalence estimates. Both fixed-effect and random-effects models with inverse variance method were applied to estimate summary effects for all combined studies. Heterogeneity was assessed and measured with Cochran's Q and I statistics.
FINDINGS
Overall, 15 studies (n=3391) on cross-sectional prevalence and 25 independent lifetime studies (n=8226) were used to calculate pooled estimates. The overall random-effects point prevalence of PD in patients with BD, after exclusion of one potential outlier study, was 13.0% (95% CI 7.0% to 20.3%), and the overall random-effects lifetime estimate, after exclusion of one potential outlier study, was 15.5% (95% CI 11.6% to 19.9%). There were no differences in rates between BD-I and BD-II. Significant heterogeneity (I >95%) was found in both estimates.
CONCLUSIONS
Estimates that can be drawn from published studies indicate that the prevalence of PD in patients with BD is higher than the prevalence in the general population. Comorbid PD is reportedly associated with increased risk of suicidal acts and a more severe course. There is no clear indication on how to treat comorbid PD in BD. Findings from the current meta-analysis confirm the highly prevalent comorbidity of PD with BD, implicating that in patients with BD, PD might run a more chronic course.
Topics: Bipolar Disorder; Comorbidity; Humans; Panic Disorder
PubMed: 29636354
DOI: 10.1136/eb-2017-102858 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Oct 2014Panic disorder (PD) is a severe anxiety disorder that is characterized by recurrent panic attacks (PA), which can be unexpected (uPA, i.e., no clear identifiable... (Review)
Review
Panic disorder (PD) is a severe anxiety disorder that is characterized by recurrent panic attacks (PA), which can be unexpected (uPA, i.e., no clear identifiable trigger) or expected (ePA). Panic typically involves an abrupt feeling of catastrophic fear or distress accompanied by physiological symptoms such as palpitations, racing heart, thermal sensations, and sweating. Recurrent uPA and ePA can also lead to agoraphobia, where subjects with PD avoid situations that were associated with PA. Here we will review recent developments in our understanding of PD, which includes discussions on: symptoms and signs associated with uPA and ePAs; Diagnosis of PD and the new DSM-V; biological etiology such as heritability and gene×environment and gene×hormonal development interactions; comparisons between laboratory and naturally occurring uPAs and ePAs; neurochemical systems that are associated with clinical PAs (e.g. gene associations; targets for triggering or treating PAs), adaptive fear and panic response concepts in the context of new NIH RDoc approach; and finally strengths and weaknesses of translational animal models of adaptive and pathological panic states.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Anxiety; Brain; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Humans; Male; Neural Pathways; Neurochemistry; Panic Disorder
PubMed: 25130976
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.07.027 -
Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki 2020Panic disorder (PD) is a common anxiety disorder with severe social and health consequences in the lives of individuals who suffer from it. General population studies...
Panic disorder (PD) is a common anxiety disorder with severe social and health consequences in the lives of individuals who suffer from it. General population studies that attempt to measure the prevalence of this disorder across the world suggest that a 1.7% to 4.7 % of adults and adolescents suffer from Panic Disorder. In Greece, research analyzing the abovementioned matters is limited, and previous studies were put forward in small samples. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence and sociodemographic associations of panic disorder (PD) and related subthreshold panic symptoms in the general population of Greece and to appraise the comorbidity, use of services and impact on quality of life of these syndromes. This was a secondary analysis of the 2009-2010 psychiatric morbidity survey carried out in a representative sample of the Greek general population (4894 participants living in private households, 18-70 years, response rate 54%). Psychiatric disorders were assessed with the computerized version of the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). Quality of life was assessed with the EuroQoL EQ-5D generic instrument. The utilization of health services was examined by making relevant questions. Finally, direct questions were used to assess sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors According to our findings, 1.87% of the participants (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.50-2.26%) met criteria for PD and 1.61% met criteria for subclinical PD (95% CI: 1.26-1.96%). There was a clear female preponderance for both PD (p=0.001) and Sub-PD (p=0.01). In addition, 3.48% of the participants reported having experienced panic attacks during the past week (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.98-4.01%). PD or subclinical PD was independently associated with a limited number of sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables especially after the adjusted analysis. Both panic related conditions involved significant reductions in quality of life and elevated utilization of health services for both medical and psychological reasons in comparison to healthy participants. In conclusion, PD and subclinical panic symptoms were common in the general Greek population with substantial comorbidity and impaired quality of life. The observed use of the general and psychological health services among adults with panic symptoms and its temporal and economic consequences calls for more efficient diagnostic and treatment policies.
Topics: Comorbidity; Female; Greece; Humans; Male; Mental Health Services; Middle Aged; Panic Disorder; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Symptom Assessment
PubMed: 33099461
DOI: 10.22365/jpsych.2020.313.201 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Oct 2014The Deakin/Graeff hypothesis proposes that different subpopulations of serotonergic neurons through topographically organized projections to forebrain and brainstem... (Review)
Review
The Deakin/Graeff hypothesis proposes that different subpopulations of serotonergic neurons through topographically organized projections to forebrain and brainstem structures modulate the response to acute and chronic stressors, and that dysfunction of these neurons increases vulnerability to affective and anxiety disorders, including panic disorder. We outline evidence supporting the existence of a serotonergic system originally discussed by Deakin/Graeff that is implicated in the inhibition of panic-like behavioral and physiological responses. Evidence supporting this panic inhibition system comes from the following observations: (1) serotonergic neurons located in the 'ventrolateral dorsal raphe nucleus' (DRVL) as well as the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG) inhibit dorsal periaqueductal gray-elicited panic-like responses; (2) chronic, but not acute, antidepressant treatment potentiates serotonin's panicolytic effect; (3) contextual fear activates a central nucleus of the amygdala-DRVL/VLPAG circuit implicated in mediating freezing and inhibiting panic-like escape behaviors; (4) DRVL/VLPAG serotonergic neurons are central chemoreceptors and modulate the behavioral and cardiorespiratory response to panicogenic agents such as sodium lactate and CO2. Implications of the panic inhibition system are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Panic; Panic Disorder; Respiration Disorders; Serotonergic Neurons
PubMed: 24661986
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.03.010 -
Psychiatria Danubina Mar 2018Dyspnea or breathlessness is a term primarily used in respiratory medicine. Nevertheless, in the last fifteen years, studies from other fields focus on the affective... (Review)
Review
Dyspnea or breathlessness is a term primarily used in respiratory medicine. Nevertheless, in the last fifteen years, studies from other fields focus on the affective component of this complex phenomenon due to the frequent observation that psychological states can cause or be caused by dyspnea. Research so far shows that besides the biological component, dyspnea has a strong emotional and psychosocial determinant. This means that apart from its biological factors, dyspnea and its intensity are affected by emotions, personality, anxiety and depression, etc. Individuals with psychiatric disorders, in the same conditions, will evaluate their dyspnea as more intense and disturbing compared to individuals without psychiatric comorbidity. Emotional states in healthy individuals can amplify the sense of dyspnea which is of extreme importance for clinical practice in order to consider the whole person and not just the symptom which is being presented. Also, dyspnea seems to be frequent complaint in some groups of patients with psychiatric disorders (e.g.panic disorder), where the fear of suffocation is presented as clinical symptom. Futher research of dyspnea as a complex, multicomponent phenomenon, can contribute to better treatment options and better differential diagnosis concerning possible psychiatric background of physical symptoms.
Topics: Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Dyspnea; Fear; Humans; Panic Disorder
PubMed: 29546853
DOI: 10.24869/psyd.2018.11 -
BMC Psychiatry Jun 2022The aims of this study were to conduct a cross-cultural validation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale - Self-Report (PDSS-SR) and to examine psychometric properties of...
BACKGROUND
The aims of this study were to conduct a cross-cultural validation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale - Self-Report (PDSS-SR) and to examine psychometric properties of the French-Canadian version.
METHODS
A sample of 256 adults were included in the validation study based on data from the baseline interview of a clinical trial on transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy for mixed anxiety disorders. Participants completed the Anxiety and Related Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS-5), and self-report instruments including the PDSS-SR, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MIA), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). The cross-cultural adaptation in French of the PDSS-SR included a rigorous back-translation process, with an expert committee review. Sensitivity to change was also examined with a subgroup of patients (n = 72) enrolled in the trial.
RESULTS
The French version of the PDSS-SR demonstrated good psychometric properties. The exploratory factor analysis supported a one factor structure with an eigenvalue > 1 that explained 64.9% of the total variability. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) corroborated a one-factor model with a good model fit. Internal consistency analysis showed a .91 Cronbach's alpha. The convergent validity was adequate with the ADIS-5 clinical severity ratings for panic disorder (r = .56) and agoraphobia (r = .39), as well as for self-report instruments [BAI (r = .63), MIA (accompanied: r = .50; alone: r = .47) and SDS (r = .37)]. With respect to discriminant validity, lower correlations were found with the SPIN (r = .17), PSWQ (r = .11), ISI (r = .19) and PHQ-9 (r = .28). The optimal threshold for probable diagnosis was 9 for the PDSS-SR and 4 for the very brief 2-item version. The French version showed good sensitivity to change.
CONCLUSIONS
The French version of the PDSS-SR has psychometric properties consistent with the original version and constitutes a valid brief scale to assess the severity of panic disorder and change in severity over time, both in research and clinical practice.
Topics: Adult; Canada; Humans; Panic Disorder; Reproducibility of Results; Self Report; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 35761266
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03989-x