INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR BOTH PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS:
- Currently the study sample will consist of healthy subjects without a current or past history of psychiatric or major medical illness.
- Following implementation of an appropriate plan to care for psychiatric patients, this protocol will include patients with a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, SAD, PTSD, or specific phobia according to DSM-IV.
- All subjects will be between 18 and 60 years old.
- Male and female subjects will be included.
- All subjects must be able to give written informed consent prior to participation in this study.
- All eligible subjects must be in good physical health as confirmed by a complete physical exam (including normal vital signs), electrocardiogram and neurological exam, and routine lab tests of blood and urine.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR HEALTHY SUBJECTS:
- Female subjects who are currently pregnant.
- Subjects who meet DSM-IV criteria for alcohol and/or substance abuse or substance dependence within 6 months prior to screening.
- Current or past Axis I psychiatric disorders as identified with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR axis disorders, non-patient edition (SCID-np).
- History of any disease, which in the investigators' opinion may confound the results of the study, including, but not limited to, history of organic mental disorders, seizure, or mental retardation.
- Subjects who take psychoactive medications or medications that can interfere with the study.
- Medical or neurological illnesses likely to interfere with the study.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS:
- Patients who would be unable to comply with study procedures or assessments.
- Female patients who are currently pregnant.
- Specific phobia patients carrying a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder.
- Patients who meet DSM-IV criteria for alcohol and/or substance abuse or substance dependence within 6 months prior to screening.
- Patients who are currently on psychotropic medications with the exception that PTSD patients currently taking SSRI's, benzodiazepines, or tricyclic antidepressants will be included. (Patients who are required to be free of all psychotropics must be off medication for 2 weeks, 6 weeks for fluoxetine. Additionally, PTSD patients on psychotropics other than SSRI's, benzodiazepines, or tricyclic antidepressants must be off medication for 2 weeks prior to testing. Patients will not be taken off medications for the purpose of the study).
- Patients who are on a medication that may interfere with the study.
- Medical or neurological illnesses likely to interfere with the study.
- Patients will be excluded if they have a current or past history of any psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, delirium, dementia, amnestic disorder, cognitive disorder not otherwise specified, any of the pervasive developmental disorders, or mental retardation.
- Patients with current major depressive disorder or a past history that occurred before the onset of their anxiety disorder will be excluded from the study. Excluding all patients with past major-depression was thought to be unrealistic given the high comorbidity-rates between anxiety disorders and major depression.
- Patients who either score above 38 on the Inventory of the Depressive Symptoms (IDS) or display significant suicidal ideation or behavior.
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 01/30/2009