Brazilian scientists have made a discovery suggesting that brief, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can serve as a potent adjunct to conventional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating panic disorder. The findings from a 12-week study involving 102 participants were published in the international journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
A panic attack is characterized as an abrupt surge of intense fear, typically accompanied by elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, perspiration, and chest discomfort. Statistical data indicates that one in ten individuals experiences such an episode at least once in their lifetime. The standard treatment protocol for panic attacks integrates CBT alongside pharmacological interventions. A well-established CBT component involves interoceptive exposure, which aims to gradually accustom patients to panic symptoms within a controlled environment under professional supervision.
A team of experts from the Medical School at the University of São Paulo in Brazil conducted a randomized trial contrasting two distinct methods of implementing interoceptive exposure. Over a 12-week period, 102 adults diagnosed with formal panic disorder were divided into two cohorts. All subjects engaged in exercise three times weekly without the use of any medication.
The first group was assigned a regimen of brief, intense interval training: starting with a warm-up, followed by 15 minutes of walking, then one to six 30-second running bursts separated by 4.5 minutes of active recovery, concluding with another 15 minutes of walking. Participants in the second cohort underwent conventional relaxation therapy, specifically progressive muscle relaxation, involving the systematic tensing and releasing of various muscle groups.
The efficacy of these approaches was gauged using the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), alongside anxiety and depression questionnaires. Assessments were performed by a psychiatrist who remained blinded to the specific protocol each patient was following. Results demonstrated improvement across both groups; however, the cohort incorporating interval training showed significantly greater reductions in symptom severity, attack frequency, and anxiety levels. This positive effect persisted for a minimum of 24 weeks following the program’s conclusion.
The researchers posit that strenuous exercise elicits physiological responses mirroring panic attack symptoms (like breathlessness and a rapid heartbeat), thereby enabling patients to learn, in a safe setting, to interpret these sensations as non-threatening.
This particular intervention does not necessitate clinical attendance; it can be performed at home. Furthermore, one of its advantages lies in achieving higher participant engagement compared to traditional relaxation therapy.
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