Anxiety sensitivity in first-degree relatives of patients with panic disorder.
Anxiety sensitivity (AS) has been proposed as a risk factor for the development of panic disorder. Strong familial-genetic influences in panic disorder (PD) have been reported. AS may be familial too. The current study therefore examined whether first-degree relatives of PD patients are more anxiety-sensitive than normals. Twenty-three first-degree relatives of PD patients, 38 PD patients and 30 normals were given the Anxiety Sensitive Index and the Body Sensations Questionnaire. It was found that the first-degree relatives were, indeed, more anxiety-sensitive than the normals, but less so than the PD patients, suggesting that AS runs in families.
van Beek
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Maastricht University, Department of Psychiatry, P.O. Box 616, 6200 AB Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Griez
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E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012677:Sensation