Electroencephalographic study of nighttime panic attacks.

A woman whose condition was diagnosed as agoraphobia with panic attacks participated in an all-night polysomnographic study. During the night she experienced a panic attack that was phenomenologically similar to her daytime attacks. The attack occurred suddenly, arising from stage 3-4 (delta) sleep. There was no disruption of sleep architecture immediately before awakening. The occurrence of this panic attack during sleep is discussed in the context of other nighttime sleep disorders.