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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00767871

Changes of Cerebral Glucose Metabolism and After 12 Weeks of Escitalpram Treatment in Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and recently abnormal fear network is known to be implicated in the pathophysiology of panic disorder. The fear network involves many brain regions such as amygdala, hippocampus, periaqueductal gray (PAG), locus coeruleus, parahippocampal gyrus, frontal cortex, and thalamus. Escitalopram, a highly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is usually effective for panic dis order, but there is little information on how escitalopram affects the fear network.

The specific aim of this study is to test the following hypotheses using 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)

1. Patients with panic disorder will show abnormal activity of the fear network compared to healthy comparison subjects. 2. Patients with panic disorder will show normalized activity of the fear network after 12-weeks of treatment with escitalopram. 3. The changes of fear work after the treatment will be associated with psychological variables and neurohormones.

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Key information

Conditions

Panic Disorder Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

20 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Samsung Medical Center

Seoul, 135-710, South Korea

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • panic disorder
  • 20-60 years

Exclusion criteria

  • history of major psychosis (schizophrenia or bipolar disorder), social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The acceptable score on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale at entry into the study will be less than 17.
  • patients and volunteers with alcohol dependence and current regular use of benzodiazepines will be excluded. Subjects with current or previous regular use of benzodiazepines will be excluded.

Treatment and study plan

Lexapro

Drug

12 week treatment with lexapro

Primary outcomes

  1. 18FDG-PET, PDSS & HAM-A

    Time frame: 12 weeks

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Samsung Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • H. Lundbeck A/S

Registry information

Official study title

Changes of Cerebral Glucose Metabolism Associated With the Fear Network Activity Before and After 12 Weeks of Escitalpram Treatment in Panic Disorder

Important dates

Study start
2007
Primary completion
2007
Study completion
2008
First posted
Oct 7, 2008
Registry last updated
Jul 25, 2011

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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