Abstract
Several lines of evidence suggest that patients with anxiety disorders have heightened autonomic responsiveness compared to controls. For example, psychophysiological measures, such as electrodermal activity, remain elevated longer in patients with anxiety disorders compared to controls (for review see Hoehn-Saric and McLeod 1988). Ambulatory heart rate and blood pressure monitoring in patients with panic disorder have revealed elevations in blood pressure and heart rate during panic attacks (Freedman et al. 1985; White and Baker 1986!. In addition to its we~-known neuroendocrine stimulatory effect~ (A~;derson et al. 1971), the hypothalamic tr~peptide thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) has rapid (1.~2 minute), marked effects on both blood pressure and heart rate (Borowski et al. 1984; Zaloga et al. 1984). This response closely parallels the time-course of crescendo changes in autonomic function often observed during spontaneous (Lader and Mathews 1970) or chemically induced panic attacks. This phenomenological overlap led us to investigate
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