A NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF PANIC DISORDER - NEGATIVE FINDINGS

Background: Gray (1982) proposed that the septo-hippocampal system, wh ich plays an important role in learning and memory, may partially medi ate anxiety. Thus, patients with anxiety disorders may manifest neuroc ognitive performance deficits. We hypothesized that patients with pani c disorder would demonstrate learning and memory deficits relative to normal comparison subjects. Method: Comprehensive neuropsychological b atteries were administered to 69 panic disorder subjects and 19 normal volunteers. Results: There were no significant group differences in a ny neuropsychological performance domain including learning, memory, a ttention, visuospatial functioning, and psychomotor speed. Multiple re gression conducted to evaluate the contribution of clinical symptoms t o neuropsychological impairment within the panic disorder sample revea led that anxiety severity did not affect neuropsychological test perfo rmance. Limitations: Most patients had mild or moderate, rather than s evere, panic disorder. Conclusion: Neuropsychological dysfunction was not associated with panic disorder. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.