SODIUM LACTATE RESPONSE AND FAMILIAL RISK FOR PANIC DISORDER

Objective: The authors used the family study method to test the hypoth esis that sodium lactate response defines two subtypes of panic disord er. Method: Rates of panic disorder in 142 first-degree relatives of p atients who responded to sodium lactate, 88 first-degree relatives of patients who did not respond to sodium lactate, and 231 first-degree r elatives of never mentally ill subjects were compared. Results: No dif ference in familial transmission of panic disorder was found between t he two patient groups. Conclusions: The findings do not support the no tion that panic disorder subtypes are associated with lactate sensitiv ity.