PANIC DISORDER AND RIGHT-HEMISPHERE RELIANCE

Panic patients (n=22) and normal controls (n=26) completed the Prefere nce Test (PT) and a Conjugate Lateral Eye Movements (CLEMs) task as me asures of hemisphere reliance. Furthermore, they completed the Spielbe rger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) as indices of self-reported anxiety. While panic patients and controls did not differ with regard to the PT, panic patients disp layed significantly more left lateral eye movements than controls. Add itionally, across both groups, significant positive correlations were found between right-hemisphere activation (as indexed by CLEM scores) and ASI, suggesting that stronger right-hemisphere reliance is related to greater interoceptive fear. Thus, some indications were found for a relative right-hemisphere overactivation in panic disorders.