A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS PENTAGASTRIN ON PATIENTS WITH SOCIAL PHOBIA, PANIC DISORDER AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

The present study sought to determine whether social phobics, like pat ients with panic disorder, have increased sensitivity to the panicogen ic effects of pentagastrin. Intravenous pentagastrin in and placebo we re administered in a double-blind fashion to 19 social phobics, 11 pat ients with panic disorder, and 19 healthy controls while they particip ated in a structured social interaction task. Behavioral, cardiovascul ar, and neuroendocrine responses were obtained. Pentagastrin led to pa nic attacks in 47% of the social phobics, 64% of the panic disorder pa tients, and 11% of the healthy controls. The social interaction itself increased anxiety, blood pressure, and pulse in all three groups. The se findings suggest that the panicogenic effects of pentagastrin are n ot limited to patients with panic disorder and provide further evidenc e for shaved neurobiology in social phobia and panic disorder. (C) 199 7 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.