Pentagastrin induced panic attacks: enhanced sensitivity in panic disorder patients.
The effects of pentagastrin, a synthetic analogue of the cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK4), were studied in 15 patients with panic disorder and 15 healthy controls. Three different intravenous dosages of pentagastrin (0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 microgram/kg) and saline were investigated. Subjects were randomly allocated to two of the four treatment groups and tested on two separate occasions, 1 week apart, using an unbalanced double-blind incomplete block design. The mean panic rate with pentagastrin was 55% (12/22) for patients and 5% (1/22) for controls. None of the subjects panicked with saline. The frequency of panic attacks between the three pentagastrin doses in patients was not different. One control subject had a panic-like attack at the highest dose of pentagastrin. These findings concur with previous studies on the panicogenic effect of CCK4 and pentagastrin and suggest a greater sensitivity for CCK receptor agonists in patients suffering from panic disorder than in healthy controls.
Department of Biological Psychiatry, Academic Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
H J
HJ
van Megen
H G
HG
Westenberg
J A
JA
den Boer
J R
JR
Haigh
M
M
Traub
D000328:Adult; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D010418:Pentagastrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood
D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011388:Prolactin; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D010418:Pentagastrin; D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine