G. La Malfa, L. Mosconi, A. Ragazzoni, L. Rossi - Vol. 8, March 2002, Issue 1
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Indice
Potenziali Evocati Evento-Correlati (P300)
nel Disturbo da Attacchi di Panico: una prospettiva cognitiva
Event-Related Potentials (P300) abnormalities in Panic Disorder: a cognitive
point of view
Objectives
Purposes of the present study were to evaluate the incidence of electrophysiological abnormalities in a group of patients suffering of PD and to determine the diagnostic value of such abnormalities. Particularly, the aim of the study was to compare our findings with PD’s cognitive explanation theories, in which an impairment of the signal detection system is thought to drastically reduce attentive resources.
Method
Event-Related Potentials (ERP) to a two-tone oddball paradigm were recorded by using 23-channel EEG from 8 steady-state sufferers of panic disorder (PD) and 8 healthy controls. We used a standard (inter-stimulus interval, ISI = 1 sec) and a fast stimulation condition (ISI = 500 msec). N1, P2, N2 and P300 were analyzed at Fz-Cz-Pz-T3-T4 sites. Cerebral electrical activity from all 23-electrode sites was used to construct brain topographical maps.
Results
PD patients showed a frontal enlarged P300 (P3a) to stimulus change in PD, associated with a systematic P300 latency reduction at Fz-Cz-Pz-T4.
Conclusion
This study has identified a probable electrophysiological correlate of a tonic dysfunction in PD, which could result useful for the differential diagnosis. Our results provide further evidence in support to a cognitive impairment in PD.