Psychiatria pre prax 2/2019

Demographic and EEG differences in patients with panic disorder who respond to treatment sufficiently and those who do not

In our study we looked for clinical and electrophysiological differences between patients with panic disorder who respond well to therapy and those with an inadequate response. Patients were treated by standardized CBT and most of them used also antidepressants. Based on BAI score decreases by 25 %, the patients were classified into two groups – responders and non-responders. On initiation of therapy, there was no statistically significant difference in brain electrical activity between responders and non-responders. After the therapy responders showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in alpha-2 activity (10.5–12 Hz) in the occipital lobe. Further, there was a significant trend for increased beta-3 activity (21,5–30 Hz) in the posterior cingulate. In non-responders, there were no statistically significant changes in sLORETA findings following therapy.

Keywords: panic disorder, sLORETS, occipital lobe, posteriori cingulate