The Computer Simulation for Triggering Anxiety in Panic Disorder Patients Modulates the EEG Alpha Power during an Oddball Task
Luiza Di Giorgio Silva,
Danielle Aprigio,
Victor Marinho,
Silmar Teixeira,
Jesse Di Giacomo,
Mariana Gongora,
Henning Budde,
Antonio E. Nardi,
Juliana Bittencourt,
Mauricio Cagy,
Luis Fernando Basile,
Marco Orsini,
Pedro Ribeiro,
Bruna Velasques
Affiliations
Luiza Di Giorgio Silva
Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Attention Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Danielle Aprigio
Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Attention Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Victor Marinho
Neuro-Innovation Technology & Brain Mapping Laboratory, Federal University of Delta do Parnaíba, Parnaíba 64202-020, Brazil
Silmar Teixeira
Neuro-Innovation Technology & Brain Mapping Laboratory, Federal University of Delta do Parnaíba, Parnaíba 64202-020, Brazil
Jesse Di Giacomo
Brain Mapping and Sensory Motor Integration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Mariana Gongora
Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Attention Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Henning Budde
Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Antonio E. Nardi
Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Juliana Bittencourt
Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Attention Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Mauricio Cagy
Biomedical Engineering Program, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20271-901, Brazil
Luis Fernando Basile
Division of Neurosurgery, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil
Marco Orsini
Master’s Program, Vassouras University, Vassouras 27700-000, Brazil
Pedro Ribeiro
Brain Mapping and Sensory Motor Integration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Bruna Velasques
Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Attention Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, Brazil
Aim: The present study investigated the differences between the Panic Disorder (PD) patients groups’ and healthy controls for the EEG alpha dynamics under the frontal cortex and reaction time during the oddball task. Material and Methods: The reaction time during the oddball paradigm concomitant to EEG alpha power was tested in nine PD patients and ten healthy controls before and after a computer simulation presentation. Results: The findings revealed a decrease in EEG alpha power in PD patients concerning the control group (p ≤ 0.0125). However, both groups demonstrated an increased cortical oscillation after the computer simulation, except for the Fp1 electrode during M3 moment in the experimental group. The experimental group has a fast reaction time compared to healthy individuals during the oddball task (p = 0.002). Conclusions: We propose that the decrease in EEG alpha power in the PD patients may indicate an increase in processing related to an anxiogenic stimulus and interference of the anxiety state that compromises the inhibitory control. The reaction time task reveals cognitive symptoms in the experimental group, which may be related to the faster reactivity and high impulsivity to stimuli.
