title: Panic disorder and locomotor activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Panic disorder is one of the anxiety disorders, and anxiety is associated with some locomotor activity changes such as "restlessness". However, there have been few studies on locomotor activity in panic disorder using actigraphy, although many studies on other psychiatric disorders have been reported using actigraphy. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between panic disorder and locomotor activity pattern using a wrist-worn activity monitor. In addition, an ecological momentary assessment technique was used to record panic attacks in natural settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients with panic disorder were asked to wear a watch-type computer as an electronic diary for recording panic attacks for two weeks. In addition, locomotor activity was measured and recorded continuously in an accelerometer equipped in the watch-type computer. Locomotor activity data were analyzed using double cosinor analysis to calculate mesor and the amplitude and acrophase of each of the circadian rhythm and 12-hour harmonic component. Correlations between panic disorder symptoms and locomotor activity were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant positive correlations between the frequency of panic attacks and mesor calculated from double cosinor analysis of locomotor activity (r = 0.55) and between HAM-A scores and mesor calculated from double cosinor analysis of locomotor activity (r = 0.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Panic disorder patients with more panic attacks and more anxiety have greater objectively assessed locomotor activity, which may reflect the "restlessness" of anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stress Sciences and Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshiuchi
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takimoto
authors.forename: Hisanobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaiya
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumano
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akabayashi