Mental health articles

panic disorder
Genetic and Familial Factors
A series of early studies conducted by a group of researchers in Iowa indicated that panic disorder subjects were more likely to have first-degree relatives with panic disorder (or agoraphobia) than nonanxious controls or subjects with other anxiety disorders. Such data have often been cited as evidence for a genetic basis to panic disorder, but methodology of this type cannot distinguish genetic from environmental factors. At least one study demonstrated greater concordance for panic disorder among monozygotic twins than dizygotic twins. Thus, there is some evidence of a role for genetic factors in panic disorder. However, as discussed earlier, it is most likely that any genetic factors are general to all of the anxiety disorders.

Tags: disorder, genetic, panic