rCBF differences between panic disorder patients and control subjects during anticipatory anxiety and rest.

Background: Our goal was to identify brain structures involved in anticipatory anxiety in panic disorder (PD) patients compared to control subjects.

Methods: Seventeen PD patients and 21 healthy control subjects were studied with H(2)(15)O positron emission tomography scan, before and after a pentagastrin challenge.

Results: During anticipatory anxiety we found hypoactivity in the precentral gyrus, the inferior frontal gyrus, the right amygdala, and the anterior insula in PD patients compared to control subjects.