Are Panic Attacks Triggered By Carbon Dioxide Reactivity And Influenced By Environmental Circumstances?
A study performed by a group of Italian investigators and published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics has explored the relationship between adverse events, early antecedents and carbon dioxide reactivity (CO2 reactivity) in panic disorder. Although adverse events have been consistently described to precede and potentially precipitate the onset of panic disorder, there is no information about their ability to alter the individual reactivity to inhaled carbon dioxide, a putative intermediate phenotype of susceptibility to panic disorder. Seven-hundred twelve subjects belonging to the general population-based Norwegian Institute of Public Health Twin Panel underwent a 35% CO2/65% O2 inhalation challenge test and interview-based lifetime assessments of DSM-IV panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder, childhood parental separation/loss, major life events, adverse events of suffocative nature and common stressful life events. Regression models were applied to predic
