cholecystokinin and Neurotic-Disorders

There is considerable evidence that genetic determinants play a major role in the etiology of anxiety. Investigations into susceptibility genes for anxiety are well underway, particularly for panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder and more broadly defined anxiety-related traits, such as neuroticism and harm avoidance. This review will discuss some of the core issues related to diagnosis and molecular genetic methodology, followed by a review of recent molecular genetic findings for anxiety. The authors will attempt to highlight the numerous convergent and exciting findings. Given the rapid acceleration in knowledge of the human genome, a more definitive understanding of the genetic roots of these complex conditions may be anticipated in the relatively near future.

Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Catechol O-Methyltransferase; Child; Cholecystokinin; Gene Expression; Genetic Linkage; Glutamic Acid; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Transport Proteins; Molecular Biology; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Panic Disorder; Phenotype; Point Mutation; Serotonin; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins