POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF SLEEP IN PATIEN TS WITH PANIC DISORDER AND PRIMARY INSOMNIA

Fifteen patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia and their age- and sex-matched patients with a DSM -III-R diagnosis of primary insomnia were examined for 3 consecutive n ights of sleep in the laboratory. To measure anxiety und depression we used the appropriate Hamilton Scales (HAMA and HAMD). Despite signifi cant differences in the sleep parameters with respect to the number of stage shifts, the number of nocturnal awakenings, stage 1 and the per centage of total REM-sleep only minimal differences between both diagn ostic groups were found. Patients with panic disorder or primary insom nia showed a marked first-night-effect from night one to night three t hat was an adaptation to the research conditions found in the sleep la boratory. The first-night recordings differed from those of the third night by prolonged sleep onset latency, reduced total sleep time, dist urbed sleep continuation, prolonged REM-latency and reduction in perce ntage of REM sleep. Differences in the first-night-effect could not be assessed between diagnostic groups. The polysomnographic findings sup port the hypothesis that in patients with panic disorder as well as in those with primary insomnia the observed sleep disturbances may be du e to underlying, but not specific mechanisms, and probably also reflec t marked inter-individual differences of sleep.