title: The panic-agoraphobic spectrum: development, description, and clinical significance.
abstract: The results of the authors' research efforts to date support the idea that the panic-agoraphobic spectrum is a robust and culturally transferable construct with important clinical implications for patients with mood and anxiety disorders. In particular, their findings suggest the need for alternate treatment strategies to treat mood patients with comorbid panic features [50,52]. They maintain that the spectrum approach could add to the knowledge of course and outcome of mood and anxiety disorders and inform treatment decisions. The spectrum concept has other potential implications. For the purposes of neurobiologic research, reliable identification of phenotypes that map [Figure 3: see text] onto specific brain processes in crucial. The definition of the diathesis phenotype is also important if we are to elucidate the cause and pathophysiology of mental disorders at a molecular level. A panic-agoraphobic spectrum assessment incorporate temperamental features and trait-like manifestations into a comprehensive symptom assessment to provide a detailed picture of the clinical features of PD. Such an approach holds some promise for progress in studies of neurobiologic basis of panic and may be useful in further efforts to overcome the nagging problem of the ambiguous boundaries of DSM diagnostic categories [53].
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. shearmk@msx.upmc.edu
authors.forename: M Katherine
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.forename: Giovanni B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rucci
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagiolini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications