ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible influence of psychological variables on cardiorespiratory responses and perceived exertion of patients with Panic Disorder (PD) during a submaximal exercise test. METHOD: Ten outpatients with PD and 10 matched healthy subjects walked up on a treadmill slope at a speed of 4 km/h in order to reach 65% of their maximum heart rate. Cardiorespiratory variables were continuously recorded. Before the exercise, the state and trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores), fear of physical sensations (Body Sensation Questionnaire scores), and fear of autonomic arousal (Anxiety Sensitivity Index scores) were assessed; during the exercise, levels of anxiety (VAS-A) and exertion (Borg Scale CR 10) were measured. RESULTS: Compared to controls, patients reached earlier the target HR and the ventilatory threshold, showed lower oxygen consumption, higher HR and lower within-subject standard deviations of HR (a measure of cardiac variability). Exertion was also higher, and there was a significant correlation between breathing frequency, tidal volume and HR. No significant associations were found between cardiorespiratory response, perceived exertion, and psychological variables in patients with PD. CONCLUSION: Although patients with PD presented poor cardiorespiratory fitness and were required to spend more effort during physical exercise, this did not appear to be related to the psychological variables considered. Further studies with larger groups are warranted.
Subject(s)
Exercise/physiology , Heart Rate/physiology , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Panic Disorder/psychology , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Exercise Test/methods , Exercise Test/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Panic Disorder/physiopathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible influence of psychological variables on cardiorespiratory responses and perceived exertion of patients with Panic Disorder (PD) during a submaximal exercise test. METHOD: Ten outpatients with PD and 10 matched healthy subjects walked up on a treadmill slope at a speed of 4 km/h in order to reach 65 percent of their maximum heart rate. Cardiorespiratory variables were continuously recorded. Before the exercise, the state and trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores), fear of physical sensations (Body Sensation Questionnaire scores), and fear of autonomic arousal (Anxiety Sensitivity Index scores) were assessed; during the exercise, levels of anxiety (VAS-A) and exertion (Borg Scale CR 10) were measured. RESULTS: Compared to controls, patients reached earlier the target HR and the ventilatory threshold, showed lower oxygen consumption, higher HR and lower within-subject standard deviations of HR (a measure of cardiac variability). Exertion was also higher, and there was a significant correlation between breathing frequency, tidal volume and HR. No significant associations were found between cardiorespiratory response, perceived exertion, and psychological variables in patients with PD. CONCLUSION: Although patients with PD presented poor cardiorespiratory fitness and were required to spend more effort during physical exercise, this did not appear to be related to the psychological variables considered. Further studies with larger groups are warranted.
OBJETIVO: Investigar a possível influência de variáveis psicológicas na resposta cardiorrespiratória e percepção de esforço dos pacientes com Transtorno do Pânico (TP) durante exercício físico de intensidade submáxima. MÉTODO: Dez pacientes ambulatoriais com TP e dez controles saudáveis foram submetidos a uma caminhada na velocidade de 4 km/h em uma rampa inclinada. A inclinação da rampa foi aumentada até que fosse atingida 65 por cento da frequência cardíaca máxima (FC alvo). Variáveis cardiorespiratorias foram monitoradas continuamente. Antes do exercício o Inventário de Estado-Traço de Ansiedade, o Índice de Sensibilidade à Ansiedade e o Questionário de Sensações Corporais foram aplicados. Durante o exercício, o nível de ansiedade (Escala Análoga Visual para Ansiedade - VAS-A) e esforço (Escala Borg CR 10) foram medidos. RESULTADOS: Comparados aos controles, os pacientes atingiram a FC alvo e o limiar respiratório mais rápido, tiveram menor consumo de oxigênio, FC mais alta e menor desvio padrão da FC em cada sujeito (medida de variabilidade cardíaca). O esforço também foi maior e houve uma correlação significativa entre frequência respiratória, volume corrente e FC. Nenhuma associação significativa foi encontrada entre cardiorrespiratória resposta, percepção de esforço e variáveis psicológicas em pacientes com TP. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com TP mostrou baixa aptidão cardiorrespiratória e maior esforço durante o exercício físico que não pareceu estar relacionada com as variáveis psicológicas consideradas. Mais estudos em grupos maiores são necessários.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Exercise/physiology , Heart Rate/physiology , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Panic Disorder/psychology , Case-Control Studies , Exercise Test/methods , Exercise Test/psychology , Panic Disorder/physiopathologyABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to investigate and compare the brain cortical activity, as indexed by quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) power, coherence and asymmetry measures, in panic disorder (PD) patients during an induced panic attack with a 35% CO(2) challenge test and also in a resting condition. Fifteen subjects with PD were randomly assigned to both 35% CO(2) mixture and atmospheric compressed air, in a double-blind study design, with EEG being recorded for a 20-min period. During induced panic attacks we found a reduced right-sided frontal orbital asymmetry in the beta band, a decreased occipital frontal intra-hemispheric coherence in the delta band at both right and left sides, a left-sided occipital delta inter-hemispheric asymmetry and an increased relative power in the beta wave at T4. Our data showed a disturbed frontal cortical processing, pointing to an imbalance of the frontal and occipital sites, common to both hemispheres, and an increased right posterior activity related to the high arousing panic attack condition. Those findings corroborate the Neuroanatomical hypothesis of PD.