[Agoraphobia and panic attacks. Biological and behavioral approaches]. 1984

J Cottraux

Behavioral and biological issues in agoraphobia are reviewed. New classifications of agoraphobia based on longitudinal studies appear promising. Genetical studies bring some data suggesting that agoraphobia and panick attacks may be a familial and genetical disease. The effects of antidepressants on agoraphobia and panick attacks are still a disputed issue. Exposure in vivo appears as the effective component of behavioral treatment of anticipatory anxiety and allows a significant withdrawal of medication (eg antidepressant and/or benzodiazepine). A personal study on 27 agoraphobia cases is reported showing a significant rate of withdrawal after behavior therapy (p less than .05). Some examples of single case designs are reported to study the covariation of depression, phobia and panick attacks. Multicenter studies are needed to clarify the problem of effectiveness and specificity of antidepressant action on agoraphobia and panick attacks.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010200 Panic A state of extreme acute, intense anxiety and unreasoning fear accompanied by disorganization of personality function. Panics
D010698 Phobic Disorders Anxiety disorders in which the essential feature is persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that the individual feels compelled to avoid. The individual recognizes the fear as excessive or unreasonable. Claustrophobia,Neuroses, Phobic,Phobia, School,Phobias,Phobic Neuroses,Scolionophobia,Disorder, Phobic,Phobia,Phobic Disorder,School Phobia
D003866 Depressive Disorder An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent. Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D003907 Dexamethasone An anti-inflammatory 9-fluoro-glucocorticoid. Hexadecadrol,Decaject,Decaject-L.A.,Decameth,Decaspray,Dexasone,Dexpak,Hexadrol,Maxidex,Methylfluorprednisolone,Millicorten,Oradexon,Decaject L.A.
D005239 Fear The affective response to an actual current external danger which subsides with the elimination of the threatening condition. Threat Cues,Threat Sensitivity,Cue, Threat,Fears,Sensitivity, Threat,Threat Cue,Threat Sensitivities
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000379 Agoraphobia Obsessive, persistent, intense fear of places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing. Phobia, Crowds,Phobia, Open Spaces,Crowds Phobia,Open Spaces Phobia
D000928 Antidepressive Agents Mood-stimulating drugs used primarily in the treatment of affective disorders and related conditions. Several MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS are useful as antidepressants apparently as a long-term consequence of their modulation of catecholamine levels. The tricyclic compounds useful as antidepressive agents (ANTIDEPRESSIVE AGENTS, TRICYCLIC) also appear to act through brain catecholamine systems. A third group (ANTIDEPRESSIVE AGENTS, SECOND-GENERATION) is a diverse group of drugs including some that act specifically on serotonergic systems. Antidepressant,Antidepressant Drug,Antidepressant Medication,Antidepressants,Antidepressive Agent,Thymoanaleptic,Thymoanaleptics,Thymoleptic,Thymoleptics,Antidepressant Drugs,Agent, Antidepressive,Drug, Antidepressant,Medication, Antidepressant
D001008 Anxiety Disorders Persistent and disabling ANXIETY. Anxiety Neuroses,Anxiety States, Neurotic,Neuroses, Anxiety,Anxiety Disorder,Anxiety State, Neurotic,Disorder, Anxiety,Disorders, Anxiety,Neurotic Anxiety State,Neurotic Anxiety States,State, Neurotic Anxiety,States, Neurotic Anxiety
D001521 Behavior Therapy The application of modern theories of learning and conditioning in the treatment of behavior disorders. Behavior Change Techniques,Behavior Modification,Behavior Treatment,Conditioning Therapy,Therapy, Behavior,Therapy, Conditioning,Behavior Change Technique,Behavior Modifications,Behavior Therapies,Conditioning Therapies,Modification, Behavior,Technique, Behavior Change,Treatment, Behavior

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