Psychophysiological characteristics of anxiety patients and controls

87 patients with panic syndrome or agoraphobia with panic were compared with 28 generalized anxiety patients and 29 controls. Psychophysiological measures included rating scales, autonomic responses patterns, auditory thresholds and vigilance characteristics. In panic patients the state anxiety and the blood and injury phobia were significantly higher than in generalized anxiety patients. The generalized anxiety group could be characterized by high trait anxiety, suicidal ideation and lower capacity for sustained attention. Phasic electrodermal response amplitudes to the first verbal stimulus were significantly higher on the nondominant hands of the panic patients and on the dominant hands of the generalized anxiety patients. At 8,000 Hz panic and generalized anxiety patients showed opposite asymmetries of auditory thresholds with a left ear advantage for generalized anxiety patients and a right ear advantage for panic patients. These results suggest a relative left-hemispheric activation dominance in panic patients and a relative right-hemispheric dominance in generalized anxiety patients. The most consistent background factors in both anxiety groups were the highly significantly increased dysfunctional attitudes, first of all the high level of external control compared to controls.