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Do panic patients process unconditioned fear vs. conditioned anxiety differently than normal subjects?
C M Del-Ben1, J A Vilela, L A Hetem
1Department of Neurology, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. delben@fmrp.usp.br
Psychiatry Research
|December 1, 2001
Summary
Panic patients exhibit abnormal processing of unconditioned fear, showing heightened anxiety and altered responses during public speaking tests compared to controls. Their conditioned anxiety responses, however, remained similar.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Panic disorder is characterized by intense fear and physiological arousal.
- Experimental models are crucial for understanding the distinct emotional states in panic.
- Differentiating between unconditioned fear and conditioned anxiety is key in panic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how panic patients process unconditioned fear and conditioned anxiety.
- To compare the responses of panic patients and controls in experimental anxiety models.
- To evaluate subjective and physiological markers of anxiety in panic disorder.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a stimulated public speaking test (SPS) for unconditioned fear.
- Employed conditioning of skin conductance responses (CSCR) for conditioned anxiety.
- Assessed subjective states using the visual analogue mood scale (VAMS) and bodily symptoms scale (BSS).
Main Results:
- Panic patients displayed higher baseline anxiety (VAMS) and discontent than controls.
- Panic patients showed abnormal anxiety responses during the SPS, unlike controls.
- Spontaneous skin conductance fluctuations were higher in panic patients, but conditioning was similar.
Conclusions:
- Panic patients appear to process unconditioned fear abnormally.
- Distinct emotional processing differences exist between panic patients and controls.
- Experimental models effectively highlight specific deficits in panic disorder.