Year: 1998
Type: article
Abstract: Individuals suffering from panic attacks have long been considered to be chronically hyperventilating subjects who suddenly plunge into hypocapnia, but the results of the hyperventilation provocation test, respiratory training, and PCO 2 ambulatory measurement show that there is no one-to-one overlap of the two phenomena.The hyperventilation syndrome might constitute a condition in itself.Biological models based on experiments using lactate or CO 2 lead to Klein's hypothesis of hypersensitivity to CO 2 (1993).Psychological models consider various options.Lum (1994) sees in hyperventilation the result of bad respiratory habits.As for Clark (1986), hyperventilation plays a part in panic attacks only if it is associated with catastrophic thoughts.Ley (1993) considers dyspnea as the initiator of an innate fear reflex.Finally, Van den Bergh (1995) has conducted promising research on respiratory conditionning.Although not all individuals suffering from panic attacks are chronically hyperventilating subjects, admittedly both phenomena often coexist.An approach integrating biological and psychological models could shed some light on their interrelationship.
Source: ORBi (University of Liège)
Institution: University of Liège
Language: French
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1908144758