title: Cognitive functions in patients with panic disorder: a literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a review of the literature on the possible neuropsychological deficits present in patients with panic disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic review and search of the PubMed, ISI and PsycInfo scientific databases, with no time limits, using the following key words: cognitive, function, panic, and disorder. Of the 971 articles found, 25 were selected and 17 were included in this review. The inclusion criterion was at least one neuropsychological assessment task in patients with panic disorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of publications has grown gradually, especially those assessing executive functions, corresponding to the neurobiological model most widely accepted. Of all the functions evaluated, these patients had lower performance in memory tasks and higher performance in affective processing tasks related to the disorder. However, these data require further investigation due to the high rate of comorbidities, the small sample sizes of the included studies and little standardization of instruments used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed a greater occurrence of deficits in memory and enhanced affective processing related to panic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. marianapoubel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mariana Rodrigues Poubel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Valeska Martinho
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Antonio Egidio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nardi
authors.forename: Adriana Cardoso de
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira e Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*