Objectives: serotonin neurotransmission is thought to play a central role in the pathophysiology of panic disorder. This hypothesis seams to be confirmed by the observation of an initial exacerbation of symptoms induced by selective reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of panic disorder patients, by the results of tryptophan depletion studies and by the evidence that the relatively selective serotonin uptake inhibitor clomipramine produces anxiety like symptoms in panic disorder patients [1]. The present study is an attempt to replicate George and co-workers [1] results with the aim to reinforce the role of serotonin system in the pathogenesis of panic disorder and the importance of the challenge with clomipramine to induce panic like symptoms under laboratory controlled conditions. Materials and methods: double blind, case-control study design. Healthy volunteers and PD patients underwent the infusion of placebo and clomipramine according to the challenge design [1,2]. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, subjective and objective anxiety were measured. Results: both healthy volunteers and drug free panic disorder patients reacted to the challenge showing mild to moderate anxiety or severe anxiety. On the contrary, treated panic disorder patients did not react and presented high level of anxiety surrounding the challenge. Conclusions: clomipramine challenge is a valid method to induce panic like symptoms in healthy volunteers and panic disorder patients under laboratory controlled settings and confirms the central role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of anxiety.

The response to clomipramine in panic disorder patients and controls / F. Cosci; F. Rotella; M. Ciampelli; F. Alari; M. Marinoni; C. Faravelli. - In: WORLD PSYCHIATRY. - ISSN 1723-8617. - STAMPA. - 3:(2004), pp. 279-279.

The response to clomipramine in panic disorder patients and controls

COSCI, FIAMMETTA;MARINONI, MARINELLA;FARAVELLI, CARLO
2004

Abstract

Objectives: serotonin neurotransmission is thought to play a central role in the pathophysiology of panic disorder. This hypothesis seams to be confirmed by the observation of an initial exacerbation of symptoms induced by selective reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of panic disorder patients, by the results of tryptophan depletion studies and by the evidence that the relatively selective serotonin uptake inhibitor clomipramine produces anxiety like symptoms in panic disorder patients [1]. The present study is an attempt to replicate George and co-workers [1] results with the aim to reinforce the role of serotonin system in the pathogenesis of panic disorder and the importance of the challenge with clomipramine to induce panic like symptoms under laboratory controlled conditions. Materials and methods: double blind, case-control study design. Healthy volunteers and PD patients underwent the infusion of placebo and clomipramine according to the challenge design [1,2]. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, subjective and objective anxiety were measured. Results: both healthy volunteers and drug free panic disorder patients reacted to the challenge showing mild to moderate anxiety or severe anxiety. On the contrary, treated panic disorder patients did not react and presented high level of anxiety surrounding the challenge. Conclusions: clomipramine challenge is a valid method to induce panic like symptoms in healthy volunteers and panic disorder patients under laboratory controlled settings and confirms the central role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of anxiety.
2004
F. Cosci; F. Rotella; M. Ciampelli; F. Alari; M. Marinoni; C. Faravelli
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/702748
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