EEG abnormalities in patients with atypical panic attacks.

BACKGROUND

Panic attacks and certain partial seizures have phenomenologic similarities which suggest that they may somehow be related. No evidence of such a relationship, however, was found when the routine EEGs of patients with panic attacks were examined.

METHOD

Fifteen subjects with atypical panic attacks who met DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder agreed to have routine followed by prolonged ambulatory EEG monitoring with sphenoidal electrodes. Fourteen subjects actually underwent monitoring; 1 had a panic attack during premonitoring routine EEG.

RESULTS

Focal paroxysmal EEG changes consistent with partial seizure activity occurred during panic attacks in 33% (N = 5) of the 15 subjects; 2 (40%) of the 5 subjects with panic-related EEG changes had normal routine EEGs. Multiple attacks were recorded before panic-related EEG changes were demonstrated in several subjects.

CONCLUSION

It may be necessary to monitor the EEG during multiple panic attacks to reveal an association between atypical panic attacks and epileptiform EEG changes.