Cognitive functions in patients with panic disorder: a literature review

Objective: To conduct a review of the literature on the possible neuropsychological deficits present in patients with panic disorder. Methods: We performed a systematic review and search of the PubMed, ISI and PsycInfo scientific databases, with no time limits, using the following key words: cognitive, function, panic, and disorder. Of the 971 articles found, 25 were selected and 17 were included in this review. The inclusion criterion was at least one neuropsychological assessment task in patients with panic disorder. Results: The number of publications has grown gradually, especially those assessing executive functions, corresponding to the neurobiological model most widely accepted. Of all the functions evaluated, these patients had lower performance in memory tasks and higher performance in affective processing tasks related to the disorder. However, these data require further investigation due to the high rate of comorbidities, the small sample sizes of the included studies and little standardization of instruments used. Conclusion: The results showed a greater occurrence of deficits in memory and enhanced affective processing related to panic disorder.