Possible role of atrial natriuretic hormone in pituitary-adrenocortical unresponsiveness in lactate-induced panic.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether lactate-induced panic attacks in patients with panic disorder would activate atrial natriuretic hormone, which could explain the missing ACTH and cortisol response found in this kind of experimentally induced panic.


METHODS
Sodium lactate and placebo infusions were administered to 10 patients with panic disorder and to 10 healthy comparison subjects, and the atrial natriuretic hormone responses of the two groups were compared.


RESULTS
During lactate infusion both the seven patients who had panic attacks and the eight comparison subjects who did not responded with increased plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic hormone, but the patients had more pronounced surges of the hormone.


CONCLUSIONS
Because atrial natriuretic hormone suppresses both pituitary ACTH and adrenal cortisol release, the authors suggest that the immediate rise of atrial natriuretic hormone explains the reported lack of pituitary-adrenocortical activation during lactate-induced panic.
Kellner
M
M
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
Herzog
L
L
Yassouridis
A
A
Holsboer
F
F
Wiedemann
K
K
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007773:Lactates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*
D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone