ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHOLECYSTOKININ RECEPTORS IN PANIC DISORDER

1. Interest in the biological aspects of panic disorder has been focus sed mainly on the noradrenergic and serotonergic systems in the brain. 2. Recently evidence has been found that Cholecystokinin (CCK) recept ors in the Central Nervous System (CNS) may be involved in panic disor ders. This hypothesis is based on the results of animal electrophysiol ogical studies, animal models of anxiety and on challenge test using C CK fragments in humans. 3. In this review, the studies evaluating the putative involvement of CCK, and especially CCK-B receptors, in panic disorder will be discussed.