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Related Experiment Videos

Reactivity to interoceptive cues in nocturnal panic.

M G Craske1, A J Lang, J C Tsao

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, 90095, USA. craske@psych.ucla.edu

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|April 6, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Nocturnal panic attacks in panic disorder (PD) patients are linked to heightened fear of relaxation states. This suggests nocturnal panickers fear losing conscious awareness or vigilance.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Panic disorder (PD) is a debilitating condition characterized by recurrent panic attacks.
  • Nocturnal panic (NP) attacks occur during sleep and can be particularly distressing.
  • Understanding the specific triggers and psychological underpinnings of NP is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the psychological and physiological responses of patients with panic disorder experiencing nocturnal panic attacks (NP) versus those without NP.
  • To investigate differences in attention to bodily sensations and reactivity to specific cues between these groups and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving three groups: PD patients with NP, PD patients without NP, and healthy controls.

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  • Participants completed three tasks: attention to cardiac cues, reactivity to respiratory cue induction (hyperventilation), and reactivity to relaxation cues.
  • Fear and physiological arousal were measured during these tasks.

    • Main Results:

    • Both PD groups reported greater fear across all tasks compared to healthy controls.
    • PD groups exhibited increased physiological arousal during the hyperventilation task.
    • Nocturnal panic patients showed significantly higher distress during the relaxation task compared to PD patients without NP.

    Conclusions:

    • Nocturnal panic attacks may be associated with a specific fear of diminished conscious awareness or vigilance.
    • These findings suggest a unique psychological profile for individuals experiencing NP within the broader spectrum of panic disorder.
    • Targeting fears related to loss of control and awareness may be beneficial in treating NP.