False suffocation alarms, spontaneous panics, and related conditions. An integrative hypothesis
- PMID: 8466392
- DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820160076009
False suffocation alarms, spontaneous panics, and related conditions. An integrative hypothesis
Abstract
A carbon dioxide hypersensitivity theory of panic has been posited. We hypothesize more broadly that a physiologic misinterpretation by a suffocation monitor misfires an evolved suffocation alarm system. This produces sudden respiratory distress followed swiftly by a brief hyperventilation, panic, and the urge to flee. Carbon dioxide hypersensitivity is seen as due to the deranged suffocation alarm monitor. If other indicators of potential suffocation provoke panic this theoretical extension is supported. We broadly pursue this theory by examining Ondine's curse as the physiologic and pharmacologic converse of panic disorder, splitting panic in terms of symptomatology and challenge studies, reevaluating the role of hyperventilation, and reinterpreting the contagiousness of sighing and yawning, as well as mass hysteria. Further, the phenomena of panic during relaxation and sleep, late luteal phase dysphoric disorder, pregnancy, childbirth, pulmonary disease, separation anxiety, and treatment are used to test and illuminate the suffocation false alarm theory.
Comment in
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Klein's suffocation theory of panic.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994 Jun;51(6):505-6. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950060069011. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994. PMID: 8192555 No abstract available.
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Panic attacks: Klein's false suffocation alarm, Taylor and Rachman's data, and Ley's dyspneic-fear theory.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996 Jan;53(1):83-5. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1996.01830010085012. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996. PMID: 8540781 No abstract available.
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Nonresponse of adrenocorticotropic hormone in first-ever lactate-induced panic attacks in healthy volunteers.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998 Jan;55(1):85-6. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.55.1.85. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998. PMID: 9435765 No abstract available.
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D-lactate and the false suffocation alarm.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002 Mar;59(3):287-8. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.59.3.287. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002. PMID: 11879169 No abstract available.
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Response differences of spontaneous panic and fear.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002 Jun;59(6):567-9. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.59.6.567. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002. PMID: 12044206 No abstract available.
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