Are freezing of gait (FOG) and panic related?

We studied 109 consecutive patients who were unselected for freezing of gait (FOG), anxiety, depression, or panic attacks. All patients completed a panic assessment, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale. Patients were divided into those with FOG or no FOG based on their answer to the FOG question on the Activities of Daily Living part of the UPDRS. Patients with FOG were more disabled, had more wearing off, dyskinesia, leg dystonia, and postural instability. They were also more anxious and more likely to panic. FOG, in many patients, is increased by anxiety and panic. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.