PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES TO MINOR STRESSORS IN OFFSPRING OF PATIENTS WITH PANIC DISORDER

Nineteen children born to patients with panic disorder and a compariso n group of 16 children born to unaffected, non-psychiatric patient sub jects exposed to novel and mildly stressful situations (visiting an un familiar place and watching a movie containing anxiogenic scenes) were assessed for their behaviors, heart rate, respiratory rate and saliva ry cortisol secretion. At arrival children born to patients with panic disorder had significantly longer latency of first spontaneous verbal comment, fewer prosocial behavior, and increased distress and attachm ent behavior. During the projection of the movie, children of the two groups differed for attachment, distress, and exploration behaviors. D uring the anxiogenic scenes children born to patients with panic disor der showed increased behavioral inhibition and higher heart rate. Auto nomic modulation, respiratory rates and cortisol secretion were simila r in the two groups. Some distinct psychophysiological patterns may co nstitute early manifestations of the transmitted liability to panic di sorder. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.