title: Fear of memories: the nature of panic in posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there is increasing evidence that panic attacks are common in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), little is known if posttraumatic panic is comparable to panic attacks observed in panic disorder (PD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the cognitive responses to panic attacks in participants with PD and PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants with PD (n=22) and PTSD (n=18) were assessed on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule for DSM-IV and subsequently administered the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire and a measure of fears related to trauma memories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although participants did not differ in terms of catastrophic appraisals about somatic sensations, PTSD participants were more likely to experience fears about trauma memories and being harmed by trauma again during their panic attacks than PD participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that although PTSD participants fear somatic outcomes during panic attacks, their panic attacks are distinguished by a marked fear of trauma memories.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joscelyne
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drobny
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bryant
keywords: Panic attack; panic disorder; posttraumatic stress disorder; trauma memories