Anxiety symptoms of the patients with aortic arch syndrome.

We reported six cases of the aortic arch syndrome with brain symptoms. Two could be explained directly as an organic impairment of the brain. In the remaining four cases, however, the mental symptoms were considered to have a basis of "anxiety." They were easily precipitated by iatrogenic and other various environmental factors. The hyperventilation syndrome had a high incidence occurring in three out of the four cases of anxiety. Thus, it seems appropriate to interpret their symptoms psychosomatically. The production of brain symptoms may be due to psychosomatic mechanisms in many cases of the aortic arch syndrome.