Anais da XXXVII Reunião Anual da FeSBE

Panic Disorder (PD) is characterized by repeated panic attacks marked by intense fear, palpitations, sweating, trembling, feelings of choking or shortness of breath, dizziness and fear of dying or going crazy, among other symptoms. Plenty of evidence suggests that panic attacks may be either `respiratory` (suffocation-like fear) or `non-respiratory` (predation-like fear) depending on the prominence of the respiratory symptoms. Moreover, Klein suggested that childhood separation anxiety (CSA) predisposes the individuals to panic attacks in adulthood (Arch Gen Psychiatry, 50: 306, 1993). Accordingly, the present study examined the effects of neonatal social isolation (NSI), an epigenetic model of CSA, on experimental models of panic attacks (either respiratory or non-respiratory), generalized anxiety disorder and depression.