Active clinical trials for "Panic Disorder"

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of three different treatment modalities on panic symptoms, quality of life and use of health services among individuals consulting an emergency department for non cardiac chest pain and having Panic Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether the prevalence of abnormalities on clinical vestibular (balance) tests is higher in panic disorder with agoraphobia than in uncomplicated panic disorder and nonpanic anxiety disorder. II. Determine whether the prevalence of abnormalities on audiological tests of cochlear or brainstem function is elevated in panic disorder without agoraphobia or nonpanic anxiety disorder. III. Determine whether symptom patterns can be identified that are indicative of vestibular abnormalities in panic disorder. IV. Determine whether vestibular dysfunction can be induced by psychosomatic mechanisms.

This study looks at the biological effect of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) on women's mental health. The mechanisms through which DVA causes mental disorders are very poorly understood. Similar to other demands, DVA activates the biological stress system, of which the chief component is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which produces chemical cortisol. Cortisol levels increase in response to short-term demand and help organisms deal with it by changing the processes of getting energy from food and also mental function. However constant activation of the HPA axis can cause damage and accelerate disease. This study tests the hypothesis that compared to non-abused women all abuse victims have altered diurnal rhythm in cortisol secretion and that the pattern of this alteration is predicted by abuse characteristics, such as its type, severity, duration, and cessation. To examine the hypothesis the following research questions will be addressed: 1) whether cortisol levels are related to mental health state; 2) whether cortisol levels are related to type, severity, duration and cessation of DVA; 3) whether there is any difference in cortisol concentrations between those women exposed to both childhood abuse and DVA and those who have experienced only the latter; 4) whether cortisol levels vary between women, living in refuge and those not living in refuge? To answer these research questions 214 women will be recruited in a domestic violence agency. Baseline and 3-monthly follow-up measures will be taken over 6 months after recruitment. Women will be asked to fill in a questionnaire to evaluate their demographics, health, experience of childhood abuse and DVA. Women's weight and height will be taken. In addition participants will be asked to take three saliva samples: 1st in the evening in bed, 2nd - next morning immediately upon awakening, and the 3rd - in thirty minutes after awakening. Saliva will be collected by chewing (for 2 minutes) the cotton pledget provided with plastic tube and returned by post or via collection by the researcher. Then the saliva samples will be tested for cortisol and cortisone. Results of the study will increase our understanding of the biological mechanisms of DVA impact on a woman's health and tell researchers and practitioners about the possibility of using cortisol as an indicator to diagnose abuse-related health problems and assess effectiveness of medical care for abuse survivors.

This study will determine whether there is a relationship between tobacco use and a heightened response to panic-producing events among adolescents. This study is fundamental research. It was not a Clinical Trial.

The objective of this survey was to understand the safety and efficacy of PAXIL tablets ("PAXIL", hereinafter) when it was started at 20 mg/day in subjects with depression or in a depressed state.

This study will try to identify genes that increase the risk of developing panic disorder-an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks-and that contribute to the abnormalities associated with it. It will compare reactions in patients with panic disorder and in normal volunteers to caffeine, a compound that can induce anxiety, and to placebo, an inactive substance. Caffeine is believed to induce anxiety by blocking proteins called adenosine receptors on the surface of nerve cells in the brain. One study found that people with a specific adenosine receptor gene called 1976T/T had greater anxiety in response to caffeine challenge than did people with other adenosine receptor gene groups. There is also evidence that people with the 1976T/T genotype are more vulnerable to having panic disorder. Normal volunteers and patients with panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia) who are between 18 and 60 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with physical and psychiatric examinations, a diagnostic interview, mood and anxiety ratings, an electrocardiogram, and blood and urine tests, including genetic studies. Participants have two caffeine/placebo challenge sessions at least 3 days apart. Each session lasts about 4 hours. For at least 1 week before each session, subjects follow a diet excluding foods with caffeine and refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages for at least 48 hours before the procedure. The morning of the session, following an overnight fast, subjects swallow either a placebo capsule or a caffeine capsule that is equivalent to about 5 cups of coffee. During the session, subjects take a battery of neuropsychological tests to document changes in cognitive and emotional functioning, including attention, memory, and motor performance. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure are measured 15 minutes before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after the caffeine or placebo dose. At the end of the study, patients with panic disorder are eligible to receive routine clinical treatment for up to 3 months and may participate in planning for long-term treatment under the care of their local health care provider. ...

The objective of this surveillance is to collect information about 1) adverse drug reactions not expected from the LPD (unknown adverse drug reactions), 2) the incidence of adverse drug reactions in this surveillance, and 3) factors considered to affect the safety and/or efficacy of this drug.

The objective of this surveillance is to collect information for panic disorder patients about 1) adverse drug reactions not expected from the LPD (unknown adverse drug reactions), 2) the incidence of adverse drug reactions in this surveillance, and 3) factors considered to affect the safety and/or efficacy of this drug.

This study will examine brain and noradrenaline function in panic disorder. Noradrenaline is a brain chemical that is involved in the regulation of emotion, anxiety, sleep, stress hormones such as cortisol, and other body functions that are disturbed in panic disorder. Healthy normal volunteers and patients with panic disorder between 18 and 60 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with psychiatric and medical histories, a physical examination, blood and urine tests, and an electrocardiogram. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Blood draw to obtain DNA for genetic studies of panic disorder - particularly of a gene that helps control noradrenaline activity - and to grow cell lines that can be frozen and used for future research on the disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging: MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. For this procedure, the subject lies on a table that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder), and wears earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning process. The procedure lasts about 60 minutes, during which the patient is asked to lie still for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Yohimbine injection with PET scanning: Catheters (plastic tubes) are placed in two veins, one to administer yohimbine, a drug that increases noradrenaline activity in the body for about 60 minutes, and one to draw blood samples. Yohimbine often causes temporary trembling, goosebumps, and clammy palms, and may cause emotions such as elation, anxiety, panic attacks, or depression. During yohimbine administration, subjects undergo positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. PET uses small amounts of a radioactive chemical called [fluoro-18]-fluorodeoxyglucose that "labels" active areas of the brain, showing patterns of glucose (sugar) metabolism. For the procedure, the subject lies on the scanner bed, with a special mask fitted to his or her head and attached to the bed to help keep the head still. A brief "transmission" scan is done just before the radioactive tracer is injected in order to calibrate the scanner. After the tracer is injected through the catheter, pictures are taken for about an hour, while the subject lies still on the scanner bed. Saline injection with PET scanning: The procedure is the same as that described above, except a saline solution is administered as placebo instead of yohimbine.

The investigators hypothesized that the group of patients receiving the medication interventions and CBT would show significant changes in their behavior, such as remission or reduction in anxiety, panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety, fear of body sensations, loss of control, and agoraphobia avoidance. And also, in the general evaluation of well-being, in the beginning and end of the treatment, in comparison to the control group (medication without CBT), during the same period.