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Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(5):165-170

Scientific Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia.

Anxiety and related disorders are the most common type of mental disorders in both the general population and the neurological clinic. A current typology of anxiety disorders includes panic disorder, agoraphobia, simple (specific) phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders often accompany diseases of the nervous system, worsen their course and impede treatment, and the degree of anxiety usually corresponds to the severity of neurological symptoms. Read More

Hum Brain Mapp 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and disabling but seem particularly tractable to investigation with translational neuroscience methodologies. Neuroimaging has informed our understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders, but research has been limited by small sample sizes and low statistical power, as well as heterogenous imaging methodology. The ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group has brought together researchers from around the world, in a harmonized and coordinated effort to address these challenges and generate more robust and reproducible findings. Read More

Turk Psikiyatri Derg 2019 ;30(4):236-244

Objective: One of the METHODS used to assess autonomic nervous system dysfunction in the etiology of panic disorder (PD) is heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is controlled by the sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) branches of the autonomic nervous system and reflects the capacity of autonomic stimulation by the parasympathetic system. The aim of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) time domain parameters based on twenty four hour holter ECG analysis among drug-naive patients with panic disorder (PD) without any other medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Read More

Psychother Res 2020 Jun 25:1-11. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.

Panic disorder patients who drop out of treatment typically do not remit from their disorder. How patient-level moderators influence dropping out of one panic-focused treatment over another has never been examined, nor in non-CBT treatments. 200 patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were randomized to receive cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (PFPP), or applied relaxation training (ART) across two sites. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2020 28;11:475. Epub 2020 May 28.

Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Background: Asylum seekers display high prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder due to pre-, peri-, and post-migration stressors. In contrast to the high mental health burden, health care utilization among asylum seekers in the early phase of resettlement is low. However, the early stages after migration are a particularly vulnerable phase in which psychosocial support measures are needed to prevent mental disorders from becoming chronic. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2020 20;11:466. Epub 2020 May 20.

Day Hospital for Psychotic Disorder, Psychiatric Hospital Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Croatia.

Objectives: Previous research on alexithymia has led to controversy over its prevalence in panic disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the difference in the prevalence of alexithymia in panic disorder and other anxiety disorders.

Design And Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on a sample of 71 patients diagnosed with panic disorder and 113 patients diagnosed with other anxiety disorders; both groups were 18-50 years old. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2020 Jun 17;291:113229. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the DSM-5 dimensional severity scales for social anxiety disorder (SAD) and panic disorder (PD) using a past 30 day timeframe.

Methods: Data were from a sample of 1,052 Australian community dwelling adults (aged 18 years or older) recruited using online advertisements. Respondents completed the DSM-5 severity scales for SAD and PD as well as a range of additional widely used self-administered scales for SAD and PD in the past 30 days prior to the survey. Read More

J Affect Disord 2020 Aug 11;273:604-613. Epub 2020 May 11.

Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d´Investigacions Mèdiques), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Background: The university period carries risk for onset of common mental disorders. Epidemiological knowledge on mental disorders among Spanish university students is limited.

Aims: To estimate lifetime and 12-month prevalence, persistence and age-of-onset of mental disorders among Spanish first-year university students, as well as associated role impairment and mental health treatment use. Read More

J Nerv Ment Dis 2020 Jun 15. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a well-validated treatment for panic disorder, includes interoceptive exposures and possibly in vivo exposures to agoraphobic situations. Testing predictors and moderators of CBT outcomes can improve treatment efficacy. Sixty-six individuals with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were randomized to panic control therapy (PCT) (n = 32) or PCT and in vivo exposures to agoraphobic situations (PCT + IV) (n = 34). Read More

Expert Opin Pharmacother 2020 Jun 16:1-18. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias , Albese Con Cassano (Como), Italy.

Introduction: A substantial number of patients with PD experience relapse after the discontinuation of effective pharmacotherapy, leading to detrimental effects on the individuals and considerable societal costs. This suggests the need to optimize pharmacotherapy to minimize relapse risk.

Area Covered: The present systematic review examines randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled relapse prevention studies published over the last 20 years involving recommended medications. Read More

Hear Res 2020 Aug 23;393:107974. Epub 2020 May 23.

Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, USA. Electronic address:

Auditory dysfunction is a common symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ranges from decreased acuity to hypersensitivity where routine sounds may result in panic or anxiety. Irrespective of altered sensitivity, there is often additional difficulty of listening in background noise. Previous studies of post-mortem brain specimens from subjects with ASD have revealed consistent dysmorphology in the superior olivary complex (SOC). Read More

Behav Brain Res 2020 Jun 10;393:112734. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels are non-selective cationic polymodal receptors gated by several different chemical and physical stimuli. TRPV1 receptors are distributed in several brain areas and interact with important neurotransmitter systems linked to mental disorders, such as endocannabinoid and opioid systems. The increasing number of results obtained in this field has recently attracted growing attention to these receptors as potential targets for the treatment of different psychiatric conditions. Read More

Front Psychol 2020 26;11:957. Epub 2020 May 26.

Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Objectives: This paper introduces a new diagnostically oriented screening scale for anxiety disorders, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Anxiety scale (CESA), designed in parallel to the revised Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CESD-R). In this study, the CESA was used as a diagnostic screening tool for detecting the presence of anxiety disorder symptomatology ascertained by a clinical psychiatric evaluation based on the DSM-5 criteria. The CESA is designed to provide an overall evaluation of anxiety as well as to screen for four important anxiety disorders (agoraphobia, social phobia, blood-illness phobia, and panic disorder). Read More

Diabetes Metab Syndr 2020 May 27;14(5):779-788. Epub 2020 May 27.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-the University of Queensland School of Medicine New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Background: Along with its high infectivity and fatality rates, the 2019 Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has caused universal psychosocial impact by causing mass hysteria, economic burden and financial losses. Mass fear of COVID-19, termed as "coronaphobia", has generated a plethora of psychiatric manifestations across the different strata of the society. So, this review has been undertaken to define psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Read More

Psychol Med 2020 Jun 11:1-11. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Disease trajectories of patients with anxiety disorders are highly diverse and approximately 60% remain chronically ill. The ability to predict disease course in individual patients would enable personalized management of these patients. This study aimed to predict recovery from anxiety disorders within 2 years applying a machine learning approach. Read More

J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2020 Jun 10. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Panic disorder (PD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders and often occurs comorbidly with major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered methylation of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been implicated in the etiology of both PD and MDD. The Krüppel-like factor 11 (KLF11; alias TIEG2), an activating transcription factor of the MAOA gene, has been found to be increased in MDD, but has not yet been investigated in PD. Read More

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020 Jul 7;36:154-159. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, P.O. Box 616 (Vijverdal), 6200, Maastricht, MD, Netherlands; University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology, Center for Experimental and Learning Psychology, Leuven, Belgium.

A polymorphism in the gene encoding the serotonin (5-HT) transporter (5-HTT) has been shown to moderate the response to CO inhalation, an experimental model for panic attacks (PAs). Recurrent, unpredictable PAs represent, together with anticipatory anxiety of recurring attacks, the core feature of panic disorder (PD) and significantly interfere with patients' daily life. In addition to genetic components, accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms, which regulate gene expression by modifying chromatin structure, also play a fundamental role in the etiology of mental disorders. Read More

Child Adolesc Ment Health 2020 Feb 23. Epub 2020 Feb 23.

School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.

Background: Panic disorder is experienced by around 1% of adolescents and has a significant impact on social and academic functioning. Preliminary evidence supports the effectiveness of panic disorder-specific treatment in adolescents with panic disorder; however, panic disorder may be overlooked in adolescents due to overlapping symptoms with other anxiety disorders and other difficulties being more noticeable to others. The aim of this study was to establish what training National Health Service (NHS) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinicians have received in psychological therapies and panic disorder and how they identify and treat panic disorder in adolescents. Read More

Psychogeriatrics 2020 Jun 8. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Department of Family Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.

Encephale 2020 Jun 21;46(3S):S93-S98. Epub 2020 May 21.

Clinique de psychiatrie, CHU de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Laboratoire de psychologie des cognitions, université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.

Although the "panic" word has been abundantly linked to the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pandemic in the press, in the scientific literature very few studies have considered whether the current epidemic could predispose to the onset or the aggravation of panic attacks or panic disorder. Indeed, most studies thus far have focused on the risk of increase and aggravation of other psychiatric disorders as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Yet, risk of onset or aggravation of panic disorder, especially the subtype with prominent respiratory symptoms, which is characterized by a fear response conditioning to interoceptive sensations (e. Read More

Nutrients 2020 Jun 3;12(6). Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.

Introduction: Magnesium is an essential cation involved in many functions within the central nervous system, including transmission and intracellular signal transduction. Several studies have shown its usefulness in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Furthermore, it seems that magnesium levels are lowered in the course of several mental disorders, especially depression. Read More

J Affect Disord 2020 Jun 13;271:207-214. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

University of California, San Diego, Department of Psychiatry; University of California, San Diego, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health.

Background: Anxiety disorders are debilitating conditions that can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Increased understanding of the neurobiological correlates of CBT may inform treatment improvements and personalization. Prior neuroimaging studies point to treatment-related changes in anterior cingulate, insula, and other prefrontal regions during emotional processing, yet to date the impact of CBT on neural substrates of "top down" emotion regulation remains understudied. Read More

J Affect Disord 2020 Jun 14;271:201-206. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan; Heian Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.

Background: Although the pathogenesis of panic attacks has been well studied in patients with panic disorder (PD), the neurobiological basis of the long-term fear memories and avoidance behavior that are often observed in PD have not been well investigated. Recent animal studies have suggested that nucleus accumbens (NAcc) plays an important role in neurobiological basis of long-term fear memories and avoidance behavior.

Methods: Thirty-eight patients with PD and 38 matched healthy control subjects (HC) participated in this study. Read More

Psychol Med 2020 Jun 1:1-10. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Background: Cross-national studies have found, unexpectedly, that mental disorder prevalence is higher in high-income relative to low-income countries, but few rigorous studies have been conducted in very low-income countries. This study assessed mental disorders in Nepal, employing unique methodological features designed to maximize disorder detection and reporting.

Methods: In 2016-2018, 10714 respondents aged 15-59 were interviewed as part of an ongoing panel study, with a response rate of 93%. Read More

Dig Dis Sci 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.

Background: Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a chronic functional GI disorder; a characteristic compulsive "hot-water bathing" pattern is reported to alleviate symptoms during an acute episode. There is limited data on this bathing pattern: proposed mechanisms include core temperature increase via effects on cannabinoid type 1 receptors in the brain, skin transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 receptor stimulation, and blood flow shift from viscera to skin.

Aims: We thus sought to characterize the hot-water bathing pattern in patients with CVS and identify differences between heavy cannabis users in comparison to occasional and non-users. Read More

J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.

While DNA methylation patterns have been studied for a role in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders, the role of the enzymes establishing DNA methylation-DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs)-has yet to be investigated. In an effort to investigate DNMT genotype-specific effects on dimensional anxiety traits in addition to the categorical phenotype of panic disorder, 506 panic disorder patients and 3112 healthy participants were assessed for anxiety related cognition [Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ)], anxiety sensitivity [Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)] as well as pathological worry [Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)] and genotyped for five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DNMT3A (rs11683424, rs1465764, rs1465825) and DNMT3B (rs2424932, rs4911259) genes, which have previously been found associated with clinical and trait-related phenotypes. There was no association with the categorical phenotype panic disorder. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2020 May 25;20(1):245. Epub 2020 May 25.

University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.

Background: Anxiety disorders are common among children and adolescents. However, there is a paucity of up-to-date data on the prevalence and correlates of anxiety-related disorders among children and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study to determine the prevalence of specific anxiety-related disorders (e. Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2020 May 24;20(1):259. Epub 2020 May 24.

Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

Background: The long-term prognosis after cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in outpatient groups for panic disorder and agoraphobia is not well known. The purpose of this study was to assess long-term outcomes in terms of psychological health, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), quality of life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction after CBT for panic disorder and agoraphobia.

Methods: The sample consisted of 68 patients (61% response rate), who were assessed at pretreatment; at the start and end of treatment; and after 3 months, after 1 year, and over the long term (M = 24 years; SD = 5. Read More

Int J Med Inform 2020 Aug 13;140:104171. Epub 2020 May 13.

Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-established treatment for panic disorder, but many fewer patients receive this treatment compared to medication-based therapy. Mobile app-based interactive CBT using a chatbot can increase patient access to CBT. We performed a preliminary study to determine whether short-term use of a newly developed chatbot is feasible and effective for relieving panic symptoms. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2020 May 6;289:112962. Epub 2020 May 6.

Institute for Genomic Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA; College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA. Electronic address:

The present study examined whether or not there are differential rates of traumatic event exposure and presumed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) between individuals with OCD without comorbid presumed BDD (OCD-Non-BDD) and individuals with OCD with comorbid presumed BDD (OCD+BDD) within a large cohort of OCD participants (N = 605). Individuals in the OCD+BDD group had significantly higher rates of endorsing at least one lifetime traumatic event and presumed PTSD than individuals with OCD-Non-BDD. Additionally, individuals in the OCD+BDD group with comorbid presumed PTSD had significantly higher rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) and presumed panic disorder (PD). Read More

J Affect Disord 2020 Aug 11;273:157-166. Epub 2020 May 11.

Laureate Institute for Brain Research, 6655 South Yale Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74136, USA; Department of Community Medicine, Oxley Health Sciences, University of Tulsa, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK, 74104, USA.

Background: Electroencephalography (EEG) studies suggest that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with lower left than right frontal brain activity (asymmetry), a pattern appearing stronger in women than men, and when elicited during emotionally-relevant paradigms versus an uncontrolled resting state. However, it is unclear whether this asymmetry pattern generalizes to the common presentation of MDD with co-occurring anxiety. Moreover, asymmetry may differ for anxiety subtypes, wherein anxious apprehension (AnxApp: worry characteristic of generalized anxiety disorder) appears left-lateralized, but anxious arousal (AnxAro: panic characteristic of social anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and panic disorders) may be right-lateralized. Read More

J Psychiatr Pract 2020 May;26(3):185-200

LO: Bali Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan CHEN: Department of Psychiatry, Yang Ji Mental Hospital, Taiwan HUANG: Bali Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare; College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University; and Department of Public Health & Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

Background: Reports have suggested that sexual dysfunction is an underestimated complication of panic disorder, but little research has focused on sexual dysfunction associated specifically with panic disorder. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate whether patients with panic disorder who are not currently receiving treatment had a higher risk of sexual dysfunction than healthy people, as well as to clarify the appropriate treatment for this patient group.

Methods: Articles that reported panic disorder complicated with sexual dysfunction were identified by a systematic literature search of electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane databases, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Read More

J Psychiatr Pract 2020 May;26(3):164-174

GULPERS: MET ggz Maastricht, Regional Institute for Mental Health Care in Outpatients, and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS)/Alzheimer Centre Limburg and Department of Psychiatry and Psychology/MUMC, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands OUDE VOSHAAR: Center for Psychiatry & Interdisciplinary Center of Psychopathology of Emotion regulation (ICPE), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands KAMPMAN and HENDRIKS: Pro Persona Institute for Integrated Mental Health Care, Overwaal Centre of Expertise for Anxiety Disorders, OCD and PTSD, and Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands VERHEY: School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS)/Alzheimer Centre Limburg and Department of Psychiatry and Psychology/MUMC, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands VAN ALPHEN: Department of Clinical & Life Span Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium and Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Mondriaan Hospital, Heerlen-Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Background: Comorbid personality disorders are assumed to negatively interfere with the treatment outcome of affective disorders. Data on late-life panic disorder remain unknown. We examined the association of personality pathology and treatment outcome related to age and treatment modality. Read More

Gen Psychiatr 2020 16;33(2):e100140corr1. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1136/gpsych-2019-100140.]. Read More

Ment Health Clin 2020 May 7;10(3):95-99. Epub 2020 May 7.

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a neurologic disorder characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, and muscle spasms, and it can increase a patient's risk for falls. It is recognized as a rare disease with limited clinical guidelines to manage the condition and its symptoms. Currently, there is even less clinical guidance for the management of common comorbid conditions in these patients. Read More

BJPsych Open 2020 May 18;6(3):e50. Epub 2020 May 18.

Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Australia.

Background: There are few very brief measures that accurately identify multiple common mental disorders.

Aims: The aim of this study was to develop and assess the psychometric properties of a new composite measure to screen for five common mental disorders.

Method: Two cross-sectional psychometric surveys were used to develop (n = 3175) and validate (n = 3620) the new measure, the Rapid Measurement Toolkit-20 (RMT20) against diagnostic criteria. Read More

J Psychiatr Res 2020 Jul 3;126:34-42. Epub 2020 May 3.

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.

Risk factors associated with the development of anxiety disorders have been identified; however, the development of preventive interventions targeting these risk factors is in the nascent stage. To date, preventive interventions have tended to target specific anxiety disorder symptoms (e.g. Read More

Behav Ther 2020 May 24;51(3):375-385. Epub 2019 Jun 24.

Ruhr University Bochum.

Affective styles appear to be relevant to the development of psychopathology, especially anxiety disorders. The aim of the current study was to investigate changes in affective styles in patients with panic disorder and specific phobia, as a result of undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy, and to identify a possible link between certain affective styles and remission. The sample consisted of outpatients (N = 101) suffering from panic disorder, specific phobia, or agoraphobia who completed the Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ) before and after therapy, as well as at a 6-month follow-up assessment. Read More

Minerva Cardioangiol 2020 May 12. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Sciences, Institute of Cardiology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

From the time of Hippocratic medicine, heart-brain interactions have been recognized and contributed to both mental and physical health. Heart-brain interactions are complex and multifaceted and appear to be bidirectional. Exposure to chronic and daily stressors such as quarantine, or severe psychological trauma like a significant person in danger of life can affect the cardiovascular system and the emotional experience of the individual, leading to an increased risk of developing a cardiovascular disease or mental illness. Read More

J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2020 May 9. Epub 2020 May 9.

Department of Neuropsychiatry, Unit of Translation Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Sakamoto 1-7-1, Nagasaki, 852-8501, Japan.

Panic disorder (PD) is a common and debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by panic attacks coupled with excessive anxiety. Both genetic factors and environmental factors play an important role in PD pathogenesis and response to treatment. However, PD is clinically heterogeneous and genetically complex, and the exact genetic or environmental causes of this disorder remain unclear. Read More

Psychosomatics 2020 Jul - Aug;61(4):321-326. Epub 2020 Apr 3.

Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ.

Background: In patients with Parkinson disease (PD), motor symptoms coexist with several nonmotor neuropsychiatric symptoms. Various anxiety subtypes (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder [SAD]) are more prevalent in patients with PD than in the general population.

Objective: We estimated the prevalence of SAD in early patients with PD and the relationship between severity of SAD and PD symptoms. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 May;99(19):e19909

Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Panic disorder (PD), defined by repeated and unexpected panic attacks, severely affects patients' living quality and social function. Perimenopausal women are high-risk group of PD and suffer greatly from it. Modern medicine therapies for this disorder have many side reactions and poor effects, so nonpharmacological modality is an urgent need. Read More

Psychiatr Q 2020 May 7. Epub 2020 May 7.

(Cand) University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) from an official recognition as a residual category in DSM-III has come a long way to be appreciated as a common underlying anxiety pathway in the literature. Despite still being defined as extreme anxiety and worry upon performance and about one's health, GAD seems to be a general umbrella of anxiety, covering even social anxiety and panic disorder (PD) and even when not treated and chronic, leading to major depressive disorder (MDD). Along the line of some other similar studies and contentions, in the present study we sought to validate the hypothesis of GAD encompassing social anxiety as well as performance anxiety and its extension to PD and MDD. Read More

Brain Behav Immun 2020 May 4. Epub 2020 May 4.

Dept. of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States; VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States. Electronic address:

Fear-associated conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and panic disorder (PD) are highly prevalent. There is considerable interest in understanding contributory risk and vulnerability factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that chronically elevated inflammatory load may be a potential risk factor for these disorders. Read More

Nature 2020 05;581(7806):19-21