Enhanced sensitivity to cholecystokinin tetrapeptide in panic disorder. Clinical and behavioral findings.
We studied the action of cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4) in patients with panic disorder and normal controls. Subjects received, in random order, one injection of CCK-4 and one injection of placebo (saline) on two separate days in a double-blind crossover design. Two doses of CCK-4, 50 and 25 micrograms, were administered to two different samples of subjects. The panic rate with 50 micrograms of CCK-4 was 100% (12/12) for patients and 47% (7/15) for controls. The panic rate with 25 micrograms of CCK-4 was 91% (10/11) for patients and 17% (2/12) for controls. Nine percent of patients compared with 0% of controls panicked with placebo. These findings concur with previous reports of a panicogenic effect of CCK-4 and suggest that patients with panic disorder are more sensitive to the panicogenic effect of the peptide than are normal controls.
Bradwejn
J
J
Psychopharmacology Division, St Mary's Hospital Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Koszycki
D
D
Shriqui
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010919:Placebos; D013758:Tetragastrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010919:Placebos; D013758:Tetragastrin; D002766:Cholecystokinin