Therapygenetic effects of 5-HTTLPR on cognitive-behavioral therapy in anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.

There is a recurring debate on the role of the serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in the moderation of response to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in anxiety disorders. Results, however, are still inconclusive. We here aim to perform a meta-analysis on the role of 5-HTTLPR in the moderation of CBT outcome in anxiety disorders.

Intensive behavioral therapy for agoraphobia.

Background: We investigated the efficacy of an intensive 1-week behavioral therapy program focusing on agoraphobia for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia (PDA).

Design And Methods: The study design was a case-control study. Main outcome measure was the agoraphobia score of the Fear Questionnaire (FQ-AGO).

Therapygenetics: 5-HTTLPR genotype predicts the response to exposure therapy for agoraphobia.

This study was intended to assess the extent to which the low-expression allele of the serotonin transporter gene promoter predicts better response to exposure-based behavior therapy in patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA). Ninety-nine patients with PDA underwent a 1-week in vivo exposure-based behavior therapy program and provided saliva samples to extract genomic DNA and classify individuals according to four allelic forms (SA, SG, LA, LG) of the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). We determined whether the 5-HTTLPR genotype predicted change in avoidance behavior in PDA following treatment.

Brainstem response to hypercapnia: a symptom provocation study into the pathophysiology of panic disorder.

Background: The biological basis of uncued panic attacks is not yet understood. An important theory concerning the nature and cause of panic disorder is the 'suffocation false alarm theory'. This alarm is supposed to be over-sensitive in panic disorder patients and can be triggered by CO2.

On the psychotropic effects of carbon dioxide.

It has been well established that the inhalation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) can induce in humans an emotion closely replicating spontaneous panic attacks, as defined by current psychiatry nosology. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical summary of the data regarding CO2's psychopharmacological properties and underlying mechanisms. The authors review the literature on the human and animal response for the exposure of exogenous CO2 focusing on five points of interest: 1) the early history of the use of CO2 as an anesthetic and therapeutic agent, 2) the subjective effects of breathing CO2 at different concentrations in humans, 3) the use of CO2 in experimental psychiatric research as an experimental model of panic, 4) the pharmacological modulation of CO2-induced responses, and 5) the putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying the affective state induced by CO2.

Effects of acute exercise on CO(2) -induced fear.

Background: Acute exercise has shown to reduce the effects of experimental panic provocation in healthy volunteers and in patients with panic disorder. Recent evidence suggests that when larger amounts of CO(2) are inhaled, a large proportion of healthy subjects can also develop an affective response consistent with definitions of a panic attack. Our aim was to test whether exercise can show antipanic effects in healthy subjects when exposed to higher concentrations of CO(2).

Effects of tryptophan depletion and tryptophan loading on the affective response to high-dose CO2 challenge in healthy volunteers.

Rationale: It has been reported that in panic disorder (PD), tryptophan depletion enhances the vulnerability to experimentally induced panic, while the administration of serotonin precursors blunts the response to challenges.

Objectives: Using a high-dose carbon dioxide (CO(2)) challenge, we aimed to investigate the effects of acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and acute tryptophan loading (ATL) on CO(2)-induced panic response in healthy volunteers.

Methods: Eighteen healthy volunteers participated in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Genetic moderation of CO2-induced fear by 5-HTTLPR genotype.

Inhalation of an increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been shown to induce a state of negative affect in healthy subjects that is closely related to the clinical phenomenon of panic. It has been suggested that the vulnerability to CO(2) is moderated by differences in serotonin (5-HT) activity, caused by a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene. Our aim was to examine the relationship between bi- and tri-allelic 5-HTTLPR genotype and the affective response to different dosages of inhaled CO(2) in healthy volunteers.

REVIEW: Genome-wide findings in schizophrenia and the role of gene-environment interplay.

The recent advent of genome-wide mass-marker technology has resulted in renewed optimism to unravel the genetic architecture of psychotic disorders. Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of common polymorphisms robustly associated with schizophrenia, in ZNF804A, transcription factor 4, major histocompatibility complex, and neurogranin. In addition, copy number variants (CNVs) in 1q21.

Cigarette smoking and 35% CO(2) induced panic in panic disorder patients.

Background: A disproportionately large number of persons with panic disorder (PD) smoke cigarettes compared to people in the general population and individuals with other anxiety disorders. Clinical and epidemiological data suggest that cigarette smoking increases the risk for the development and maintenance of PD. The carbon dioxide (CO(2)) challenge is well established as experimental model for panic.

Effect of buspirone on the behavioral regulation of rats in low versus high anxiety conditions.

Introduction: Buspirone (CAS 33386-08-2) is reported to have anxiolytic effects in humans and is mostly described for mild anxiety. To further explore the effects of buspirone on different levels of anxiety, the effect of buspirone was evaluated in two different conditions of the open field which were distinguished as low and high anxiety (enclosed and exposed open field, respectively).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-eight albino Wistar rats (350-400 g) were tested in two different arena settings, an enclosed and an exposed open field.

Acute exercise reduces the effects of a 35% CO2 challenge in patients with panic disorder.

Background: Chronic exercise has been shown to have therapeutic effects in panic disorder (PD). The mechanism of these effects is unknown. Acute exercise reduces the effect of a panic challenge in healthy volunteers.