Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Altered central alpha 2-adrenoceptor sensitivity in panic disorder.

D J Nutt1

  • 1University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, England.

Archives of General Psychiatry
|February 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Panic disorder may involve altered brain alpha 2-adrenoceptor sensitivity. Patients showed different blood pressure and sedative responses to clonidine, suggesting receptor dysregulation contributing to panic symptoms.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Human brain changes after first psilocybin use.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Serotonergic psychedelics for depression: A comprehensive overview.

International review of neurobiology·2025
Same author

Suicidal Ideation in Medicinal Cannabis Patients: A 12-Month Prospective Study.

Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research·2024
Same author

Psilocybin and Other Classic Psychedelics in Depression.

Current topics in behavioral neurosciences·2023
Same author

Canalization and plasticity in psychopathology.

Neuropharmacology·2022
Same author

Developing a real-world evidence base for prescribed cannabis in the United Kingdom: preliminary findings from Project Twenty21.

Psychopharmacology·2021

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Panic disorder is a debilitating condition with unclear etiological factors.
  • Alpha 2-adrenoceptors play a crucial role in regulating neurotransmission and physiological responses.
  • Previous research suggests potential involvement of adrenergic systems in panic disorder.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of brain alpha 2-adrenoceptor sensitivity in the etiology of panic disorder.
  • To assess the cardiovascular, psychological, and endocrine responses to an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist challenge in panic disorder patients.

Main Methods:

  • A challenge paradigm using intravenous clonidine hydrochloride (1.5 microgram/kg) was administered.
  • 16 patients diagnosed with panic disorder were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Cardiovascular, psychological, and endocrine parameters were measured and analyzed.

    • Main Results:

    • Patients with panic disorder exhibited a greater decrease in blood pressure compared to controls.
    • Sedative and endocrine responses to clonidine were attenuated in panic disorder patients.
    • These findings suggest a complex pattern of alpha 2-adrenoceptor subsensitivity and supersensitivity in panic disorder.

    Conclusions:

    • Altered brain alpha 2-adrenoceptor sensitivity may contribute to the pathophysiology of panic disorder.
    • Increased cardiovascular lability, potentially linked to alpha 2-adrenoceptor dysfunction, could underlie panic attack symptoms.
    • These findings highlight potential therapeutic targets within the alpha 2-adrenergic system for panic disorder.