Effects of alprazolam dose on the induction and habituation processes during behavioral panic induction treatment

Abstract

To determine the effects of alprazolam dose levels on psychophysiologic indices of panic induction and habituation during cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), 24 patients with panic disorder completed 15 sessions of CBT, and were randomly assigned to either a minimal or moderate dose alprazolam condition. At pre-treatment, and at an early and late induction session, the magnitude and duration of physiologic changes (EMG, GSR, HR) were recorded during baseline relaxation, panic induction, and return to relaxation periods. Although dose conditions did not differ on the magnitude of physiologic change, patients in the moderate dose condition required significantly longer to obtain peak HR during panic induction and significantly less time to return to baseline HR than did the minimal dose condition. These physiologic differences, however, were not associated with treatment outcome. These results suggest that alprazolam may delay the process of panic induction during cognitive-behavioral treatment of panic disorder, but also appears to enhance the subsequent habituation process.