Genetic Causes of Panic Disorder

Completed

Conditions studied: Panic Disorder

In brief

This study will try to identify genes that increase the risk of developing panic disorder-an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks-and that contribute to the abnormalities associated with it. It will compare reactions in patients with panic disorder and in normal volunteers to caffeine, a compound that can induce anxiety, and to placebo, an inactive substance. Caffeine is believed to induce anxiety by blocking proteins called adenosine receptors on the surface of nerve cells in the brain. One study found that people with a specific adenosine receptor gene called 1976T/T had greater anxiety in response to caffeine challenge than did people with other adenosine receptor gene groups. There is also evidence that people with the 1976T/T genotype are more vulnerable to having panic disorder. Normal volunteers and patients with panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia) who are between 18 and 60 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with physical and psychiatric examinations, a diagnostic interview, mood and anxiety ratings, an electrocardiogram, and blood and urine tests, including genetic studies. Participants have two caffeine/placebo challenge sessions at least 3 days apart. Each session lasts about 4 hours. For at least 1 week before each session, subjects follow a diet excluding foods with caffeine and refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages for at least 48 hours before the procedure. The morning of the session, following an overnight fast, subjects swallow either a placebo capsule or a caffeine capsule that is equivalent to about 5 cups of coffee. During the session, subjects take a battery of neuropsychological tests to document changes in cognitive and emotional functioning, including attention, memory, and motor performance. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure are measured 15 minutes before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after the caffeine or placebo dose. At the end of the study, patients with panic disorder are eligible to receive routine clinical treatment for up to 3 months and may participate in planning for long-term treatment under the care of their local health care provider. ...

Key facts

Study ID: NCT00083265
Run by: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
People needed: 117
Starts: 2004-05-13
Expected to finish: 2018-02-14
Last updated by the study team: 2018-02-19

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may not qualify if…

Subjects should have no general medical illness that is causing the panic disorder.
Serious, unstable illnesses including hepatic, renal, gastroenterologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrinologic, neurologic, immunologic, or hematologic disease.
Subjects with known cardiac disease.
Subjects with one or more past seizures without a clear and resolved etiology.
Patients who would be unable to comply with study procedures or assessments.
Patients who are currently at high risk for homicide or suicide.
Patients with psychotic features.
Patients with current DSM-IV substance abuse or dependence within the past year.
Patients who are on a non-psychotropic medication with psychotropic effects (e.g., beta-adrenergic blockers) unless the dosage has been stable for a minimum of one month prior to the study.
Subjects with a positive HIV test result.
Experimental treatment in the past one month.
For healthy volunteers, no current or past history of any psychiatric disorder.
Exclude subjects taking CYP1A2 inhibitors.
Exclude subjects with prostatitis.

Where it is running

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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