Exposure-induced changes of plasma mRNA expression levels in patients with panic disorder

Anxiety disorders including panic disorders with or without agoraphobia are the most prevalent mental disorders. Exposure is a core technique within the framework of cognitive behavioral therapy to treat phobia- and anxiety-related symptoms. The primary aim of this study was to trace specific anxiety-related plasma gene expression changes of subjects with PD at three time points in order to identify biomarkers for acute anxiety states. In this intervention, the patient is exposed to highly feared and mostly avoided situations. Blood samples from individuals with panic disorder (n=24) were drawn at three time points during exposure: baseline, 1 hour post-exposure and 24 hours after exposure-onset.