An integrative assessment of brain and body function 'at rest' in panic disorder: A combined quantitative EEG/autonomic function study

We conducted a quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) and autonomic assessment of panic disorder (PD). The study samples comprised 52 individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for PD (with or without agoraphobia) and 104 age-, gender-, and handedness-matched controls. EEG data were acquired from 16 scalp sites during resting eyes-open (REO) and eyes-closed (REC) conditions, and spectral power was assessed within 4 frequency bands: theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, and beta. The main findings were an overall reduction of spectral power in PD, compared to controls (Group main effect, p = .011), which was most apparent during REC (Group Condition interaction, p = .014), and within the alpha-1 frequency band (8-11 Hz; Group Band interaction, p = .014). Alpha-1 desynchronization occurs in response to increases in non-specific information processing, and aspects of attention such as alertness. Other findings were region-specific alterations of spectral power at frontal and temporal scalp sites, including a frontal alpha-1 asymmetry (R