title: Serotonergic modulation of the balance system in panic disorder: an open study.
abstract: Experimental evidence suggests that panic disorder is characterized by abnormalities in the balance system function and that these abnormalities might be related to the severity of agoraphobic avoidance. Since the balance system can be modulated by the serotonergic system, we investigated the effect of a 6-week treatment with citalopram on the balance system function in patients with panic disorder. Fifteen patients with panic disorder with/without agoraphobia underwent static posturography on days 0 and 42. Static posturography and clinical assessments were carried out by different investigators who were blind to each other. Static posturography showed high percentages of abnormal scores. Patients with no or low agoraphobic avoidance showed less abnormal posturographic measures than those with moderate to severe agoraphobia. After 6 weeks of treatment with citalopram there was a significant decrease of four out of six posturography measures in eyes-closed and neck extension conditions, whereas no significant effect was found in the eyes-open condition. This is the first report that suggests that the modulation of the serotonergic system can improve the balance system function in patients with panic disorder, particularly when visual information is lacking. In addition, our findings confirm the observation that many patients with panic disorder have abnormalities in their balance system function, supporting the idea that these abnormalities are mainly related to agoraphobic avoidance.
authors.affiliation: Anxiety Disorder Clinical and Research Unit, Vita-Salute University, Istituto Scientifico HS Raffaele, Milan, Italy. perna.giampaolo@hsr.it
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alpini
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caldirola
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raponi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cesarani
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bellodi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors