[Clinical and psychophysiological study of patients with panic attacks with or without agoraphobic disorders].

Seventy-seven patients with panic attacks (PA) with or without agoraphobic disorders and 28 healthy controls have been studied using clinico-neurological and psychological methods as well as EEG and auditory event-related evoked potentials (EP) recording. PA patients with agoraphobic disorders featured a significant decrease of density of a-rhythm power and an increase of b-rhythm power in the right hemisphere that reflected a substantial activation of the ascending mesencephalic reticular formation. At the same time, a significant increase of q-rhythm power in temporal areas of the right hemisphere was characteristic of patients without agoraphobia that suggested reinforcement of activity of temporal-limbic structures. Patients with agoraphobia demonstrated lower P300 wave amplitude, marked disturbances of its habituation, more impaired attention and higher level of anxiety and depression as compared to those without agoraphobia.