The cause of panic disorder had been theorized in different ways over the
years. The causes seem to vary from person to person, but the two major reasons
are biology and heredity.
Biological Reasons for Panic Disorder
Psychologists with a biological approach to their field have their own
explanation for what causes panic disorder. According to these biological
psychologists, people who suffer from panic disorder suffer from a lack of the
neurotransmitter serotonin in their brains. Serotonin is the
neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, mood, and appetite. Everyone has
serotonergic fibers that travel through the amygdala and the hippocampus. These
are the regions of the brain that interpret sensory stimuli, like fear. People
with panic disorder usually have damaged serotonergic fibers in their brains,
causing a flaw in the way their brains interpret the sensation of fear. They
suddenly experience fear, even when there is no fear to experience.
Hereditary Factors
Various research by many psychologists has yielded evidence that flaws in
both dominant and recessive genes are significant causes of panic disorder in
the children of parents with panic disorder. Many different kinds of studies
have been done to confirm this. Some of these include family studies, in which
the genes of different members of a family are compared; twin studies, in which
twin babies are studied for their genes; and linkage studies, in which DNA
links from parents are compared to DNA from their children. All results seem to
point to a genetic cause for the disorder.
There is not one main cause. Both of these factors play a significant role
in the cause of panic disorder.
Treatment
Because there is not just one cause for panic disorder, treatment for the
disorder varies from person to person. No research has been done as of yet to
determine which method of treatment is best.
There are 2 major methods of treatment that have been proven to work better
than any other method: the use of antidepressants, specifically tricyclic
antidepressants (TCAs) to increase the level of serotonin in the brain; and the
use of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the same purpose.
Different methods work for different people and no research has been done as of
yet to determine a link between the cause of the disorder and the medication.