Treatment-related changes towards normalization of the abnormal external signal processing in panic disorder

PLoS One. 2020 Jan 27;15(1):e0227673. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227673. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Despite the scientific consensus on the efficacy of psychotherapy for the treatment of psychological disorders, the evidence of treatment-related changes towards normalization of abnormal brain functions in patients is mixed. In the present experiment, we investigated whether treatment can affect early information processing, by testing abnormal event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by internal and external signals in panic disorder. Sixteen patients with panic disorder and comorbid personality disorder and sixteen control participants performed a response-choice task and a passive viewing task in two testing sessions, separated by around 14 months. During this period, patients received psychological treatment. In agreement with previous studies of performance monitoring, the abnormal amplitude of the Ne/ERN-an index of error processing based on internal signals-did not change between the first and second testing session. However, treatment-related changes were evident for the abnormal vertex positive potential (VPP) evoked by external signals in the response-choice task and the passive viewing task. In patients, the VPP was smaller in the second session compared to the first session, whereas no significant changes occurred in controls. This result supplies evidence of treatment-related changes towards normalization in the early information processing of external visual stimuli in panic disorder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Panic Disorder / complications
  • Panic Disorder / physiopathology*
  • Panic Disorder / therapy*
  • Personality Disorders / complications
  • Personality Disorders / physiopathology
  • Personality Disorders / psychology
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychotherapy
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was supported by funding of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft granted to Prof. Stürmer (STU 248/4-1). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.