title: Cognitive correlates in panic disorder as related to impulsivity - preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impulsivity is the neurophysiologically based inability to confirm behaviour to its context or consequences. Overimpulsiveness characterizes many mental disorders and poses an important clinical dilemma. Although the relationship between mood disorders and impulsivity has been well studied the relationship between anxiety and impulsivity is controversial and not well explored. Some studies hypothesise that patients with the diagnosis of panic disorders are characterised by higher levels of impulsivity as a trait as compared to healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to assess cognitive correlates in panic disorder as related to impulsivity measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within the preliminary studies four patients diagnosed with panic disorder (DSM-IV-TR) were studied. The severity measure was the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale. The experimental group comprised of psychotropic drug naive patients. Impulsiveness was evaluated with the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale - 11th version (BIS-11). To asses cognitive functions we used CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BIS-11 scores observed in the group of psychotropic drug naive patients with panic disorder were higher than the adjusted average for the population and correlated with the number of mistakes in CANTAB (Spatial Working Memory Test); rs=0.949; p=0.0513.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preliminary findings indicate a correlation between impulsivity and cognitive deficits in panic disorder in psychotropic drug naive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. k.jakuszkowiak@gumed.edu.pl
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jakuszkowiak-Wojten
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gałuszko-Węgielnik
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raczak
authors.forename: Wiesław Jerzy
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Cubała
authors.forename: Mariusz Stanisław
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wiglusz
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herstowska
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult