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Sensitivity to 35% CO2 in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with panic disorder
1Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, Instituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, University of Milan, Italy.
Objective:
The authors tested the hypothesis that hyperreactivity to CO2 in healthy subjects represents an underlying familial vulnerability to panic disorder.
Method:
One vital-capacity inhalation of 35% CO2 and 65% O2 was administered to each of 84 patients with panic disorder, 23 healthy first-degree relatives of probands with panic disorder, and 44 healthy subjects with no family history of panic disorder.
Results:
The first-degree relatives of the probands with panic disorder reacted significantly more than the healthy subjects and significantly less than the probands.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest an association between family history of panic disorder and hyperreactivity to 35% CO2 in healthy subjects.