Anxiety Genetics: Progress and New Directions

描述（由申请人提供）：焦虑症是最常见的精神疾病，具有适度的遗传成分，并且适合于优秀的动物模型。在了解基因组水平的遗传影响方面取得了适度的进展。我们建议提供一个会议补助金，为焦虑症遗传学研究人员提供一个机会，调查该领域的现状，并为遗传学研究开展合作。感兴趣的障碍包括惊恐障碍、特定恐怖症、社交焦虑障碍、广泛性焦虑障碍和创伤后应激障碍。强迫症不包括在此，因为现有的会议机制仅侧重于这种疾病。DSM-IV焦虑症的终生发病率估计为28.8%，平均发病年龄为11岁。上述疾病的终生患病率为4.7%至12.5%，均以女性为多见。研究表明，焦虑症在家庭中一贯表现出聚集性，这种聚集性的来源可能是由于遗传因素，双胞胎研究表明基因的重要贡献。遗传学研究，包括家系连锁分析和病例对照样本中的候选基因研究，现在提供了一些证据，表明特定的染色体区域或基因可能有助于焦虑症的易感性。其他复杂疾病的经验表明，单个研究者的样本可能不足以发现焦虑相关的遗传变异，很明显，联合收割机将有更高的成功机会。同样，还需要为实地协调大样本，以验证现有样本中报告的调查结果。R13机制将用于解决在不同研究者之间组装协作数据集和共享数据的问题。拟议的会议还将总结当前的知识，并提供焦虑症遗传学以外的领先人类遗传学家的全体会议。来自五大洲九个国家的至少25名研究人员表示有兴趣参加，其中大多数还自愿发表演讲，促进研讨会，并在指导委员会任职。会议的很大一部分将侧重于研讨会，旨在确定潜在的合作项目，并应对这些项目带来的挑战和机遇。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions, have a moderate genetic component, and have lent themselves to excellent animal models. Modest progress has been made in understanding the genetic influence at the genomic level. We are proposing a conference grant to provide an opportunity for anxiety disorder genetics investigators to survey the current status of the field and to develop collaborative efforts for genetic studies. The disorders of interest include panic disorder, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder is not included here as there is an existing conference mechanism focused solely on that disorder. The lifetime incidence of DSM-IV anxiety disorders is estimated to be 28.8%, with an average age of onset of eleven years of age. Lifetime prevalence for the disorders mentioned above range from 4.7% to 12.5%, with all being more common in females. Research has shown that anxiety disorders consistently exhibit aggregation in families, and that the source of this aggregation is likely due to genetic factors, with twin studies suggesting a strong contribution from genes. Genetic studies, both linkage analyses in pedigrees and candidate gene studies in case-control samples now provide some evidence that specific chromosomal regions or genes might contribute to the susceptibility to anxiety disorders. Experience with other complex disorders now demonstrate that the samples of individual investigators may be insufficient for discovering anxiety-related genetic variation, and it is clear collaborative studies that combine many samples will have higher chance of success. Similarly, large samples will need to be coordinated for the field to validate reported findings in the extant samples. The R13 mechanism will be used to address the issues of assembling collaborative datasets and sharing data among diverse investigators. The proposed meeting will also serve to summarize current knowledge, and provide plenary talks from leading human geneticists outside of anxiety disorder genetics. At least 25 researchers from nine countries on five continents have expressed interest in participating, with most also volunteering to give presentations, facilitate workshops, and serve on the Steering Committee. A substantial portion of the meeting will be focused on workshops designed to identify potential collaborative projects, and to address the challenges and opportunities they provide.