Genetics of Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

This chapter provides a broad overview of the state of research in the genetics of the major anxiety disorders (ADs). They exhibit moderate familial aggregation and heritability due to genetic risk factors that are shared between them as well as those that are disorder-specific. Many candidate gene association studies have been published, with a small set of genes that have been consisted validated for their role in one or more anxiety phenotypes. Genome-wide association studies of ADs are in their infancy, with a handful of published studies for each disorder so far and more to come conducted by large consortia. Animal studies provide a promising complimentary approach that demonstrate concurring evidence across species supporting the involvement of particular biological systems in anxiety-related behaviors.