M. Battaglia et al., PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES TO MINOR STRESSORS IN OFFSPRING OF PATIENTS WITH PANIC DISORDER, Journal of Psychiatric Research, 31(3), 1997, pp. 365-376
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.