Surreal illustration of a mind disrupted by panic disorder, showing shattered memories and tangled brainwaves.

Panic Disorder and Your Memory: Unlocking the Anxious Mind

Soraya Malik in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 5 min read.

"Can anxiety sabotage your ability to focus? New research reveals the hidden ways panic disorder impacts working memory and what it means for daily life."

Panic disorder (PD) is more than just feeling anxious; it's a condition marked by recurring, unexpected panic attacks that can significantly disrupt daily life. These attacks, characterized by intense anxiety, can lead to professional and social difficulties, making it crucial to understand how PD affects cognitive functions.

One critical area of cognitive function impacted by PD is working memory—the ability to hold and manipulate information in the mind. Researchers have long investigated the link between anxiety and memory, seeking to understand how high levels of anxiety can interfere with the brain's ability to process information effectively. This article delves into recent findings that shed light on this complex relationship.

Recent studies employing advanced techniques like quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and computer simulations are providing new insights into how anxiety associated with panic disorder can disrupt working memory. These studies aim to map the specific brainwave patterns and communication breakdowns that occur when individuals with PD experience heightened anxiety, offering potential pathways for more effective treatments.

The Anxious Brain: How Panic Disrupts Working Memory

Surreal illustration of a mind disrupted by panic disorder, showing shattered memories and tangled brainwaves.

A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research investigated the impact of anxiety on working memory in individuals with panic disorder. The researchers used qEEG to measure brainwave activity and coherence—the communication between different brain regions—in patients with PD and healthy controls during a visual task designed to engage working memory. The study also incorporated a computer simulation (CS) to induce anxiety, allowing them to observe how heightened anxiety levels affected brain function in real-time.

The study revealed several key findings. First, it found that individuals with PD exhibited altered gamma coherence—a specific type of brainwave activity associated with cognitive processes—in frontoparietal networks, which are crucial for working memory. Specifically, individuals with PD showed lower gamma coherence in certain areas compared to healthy controls, suggesting a disruption in communication within these networks. Interestingly, the researchers also found that the computer simulation, designed to induce anxiety, further impacted brainwave activity, particularly in the left hemisphere.

Gamma Coherence: Measures the communication between different brain regions.
Frontoparietal Networks: Brain regions crucial for working memory.
Computer Simulation (CS): Used to induce anxiety in a controlled setting.

These results suggest that high levels of anxiety, such as those experienced during a panic attack, can indeed interfere with working memory by disrupting the normal communication patterns in the brain. The left hemisphere, associated with emotional processing, appeared particularly vulnerable to the effects of anxiety, indicating a potential link between emotional distress and cognitive impairment. The study also highlighted that, in some areas, PD patients showed higher gamma coherence, which the researchers interpret as a sign of 'noise' interfering with normal processing. This is a critical distinction because it implies the anxious brain isn't just 'quieter,' it's also potentially experiencing disruptive over-activity.

Understanding and Addressing the Impact on Memory

This research underscores the importance of recognizing the cognitive effects of panic disorder. While the physical symptoms of a panic attack are often the primary focus, the impact on memory, attention, and cognitive function can significantly affect an individual's ability to perform daily tasks and maintain overall well-being.

The findings suggest that interventions targeting anxiety may also improve cognitive function. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, can help individuals manage anxiety and develop coping strategies, potentially restoring more typical brain communication patterns and enhancing working memory. Similarly, pharmacological treatments that reduce anxiety may also have beneficial effects on cognitive function.

Future research should explore the long-term effects of anxiety on brain function and investigate the effectiveness of various interventions in improving both emotional and cognitive outcomes. By further unraveling the complex relationship between anxiety and working memory, we can pave the way for more comprehensive and effective treatments for panic disorder and related conditions.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.08.021, Alternate LINK

Title: How High Level Of Anxiety In Panic Disorder Can Interfere In Working Memory? A Computer Simulation And Electrophysiological Investigation

Subject: Biological Psychiatry

Journal: Journal of Psychiatric Research

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Luiza Wanick Di Giorgio Silva, Danielle Aprigio, Jesse Di Giacomo, Mariana Gongora, Henning Budde, Juliana Bittencourt, Mauricio Cagy, Silmar Teixeira, Pedro Ribeiro, Marcele Regine De Carvalho, Rafael Freire, Antonio Egidio Nardi, Luis Fernando Basile, Bruna Velasques

Published: 2017-12-01

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is panic disorder and how does it extend beyond just feeling anxious?

Panic disorder is characterized by recurring, unexpected panic attacks that can significantly disrupt daily life. These attacks are marked by intense anxiety, potentially leading to difficulties in professional and social environments. Understanding the cognitive impacts of panic disorder, particularly on functions like working memory, is crucial for managing its broader effects.

How does panic disorder specifically affect working memory, and what makes working memory so important?

Working memory, the ability to hold and manipulate information in the mind, is notably affected by panic disorder. Research indicates that high anxiety levels can interfere with the brain's capacity to effectively process information. Specifically, studies use techniques such as quantitative electroencephalography and computer simulations to explore how anxiety disrupts brainwave patterns and communication pathways in individuals with panic disorder.

What research methods are being used to investigate the link between panic disorder and impaired memory function?

The study used quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) to measure brainwave activity and coherence, reflecting communication between different brain regions. This was performed on individuals with panic disorder and a control group during a visual task designed to engage working memory. Additionally, a computer simulation was used to induce anxiety in a controlled setting, allowing researchers to observe the real-time effects of heightened anxiety levels on brain function.

What specific changes in brain activity have been observed in individuals with panic disorder, and what do these changes suggest about cognitive impairment?

The study revealed that individuals with panic disorder exhibited altered gamma coherence, a type of brainwave activity linked to cognitive processes, particularly in frontoparietal networks crucial for working memory. Specifically, those with panic disorder showed lower gamma coherence in certain areas, suggesting disrupted communication within these networks. The computer simulation designed to induce anxiety further impacted brainwave activity, especially in the brain's left hemisphere. Interestingly, some areas showed higher gamma coherence, potentially indicating disruptive over-activity.

What are the broader implications of understanding how panic disorder affects memory and cognitive functions?

The findings emphasize the significance of acknowledging the cognitive consequences of panic disorder. While immediate responses to panic attacks often concentrate on physical symptoms, the impact on memory, attention, and overall cognitive function can profoundly affect an individual's ability to perform daily tasks and maintain general well-being. Addressing these cognitive impacts may involve targeted therapies to improve brain communication and cognitive processing.