Citation

Asmundson GJ, Stein MB, Larsen DK, Walker JR. Anxiety 1995; 1(5): 201-207.

Affiliation

Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9160575

Abstract

A neuropsychological test battery designed to assess verbal learning and memory, visual memory, psychomotor speed, cognitive flexibility and concentration was administered to patients with panic disorder (N = 18) and social phobia (N = 18) and a group of healthy control subjects (N = 16). Overall, the neurocognitive performance of the panic disorder and social phobia patients was lower than that of control subjects. Analyses of the verbal test variables indicated reduced performance in panic disorder and social phobia patients, relative to control subjects, on measures of verbal learning and memory. In addition, panic disorder patients exhibited deficits on short-delay free recall. No group differences were observed on tests of visual memory, psychomotor speed, cognitive flexibility, and concentration. These results, while indicative of diminished neuropsychological test performance in patients with panic disorder and social phobia, do not suggest the presence of syndrome-specific or localized neurocognitive deficits.

Language: en