# Genome-wide association studies of anxiety spectrum phenotypes: Furthering the PGC Anxiety Disorders Working Group

> **NIH NIH R01** · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCE CTR · 2020 · $352,721

## Abstract

Anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias are
highly prevalent in the population and carry a significant burden of distress and
impairment. Only a moderate proportion of patients with anxiety disorders respond
adequately to current treatment interventions, and anxiety disorders are relatively
understudied compared to other psychiatric syndromes. Exploring their genetic
determinants will help elucidate their causes and guide research for prevention and new
treatments. Research has documented roles for genetic risk factors in the development
of anxiety disorders, many of which are shared with other internalizing phenotypes like
depression and anxious temperament (“anxiety-spectrum”). We had conducted a
preliminary genome-wide association study (GWAS) in approximately 18,000 subjects
well-characterized for anxiety disorders using novel phenotypic approaches designed to
capture common sources of genetic risk. We identified several genome-wide significant
regions and polygenic risk variation associated with these phenotypes. The purpose of
this current application is to facilitate expanded GWAS of the anxiety disorders. We will
conduct GWAS in data from over 100,000 subjects, dissect the effects of shared versus
disorder-specific genetic risk, and expand the phenotypes to include depressive
disorders and anxious temperament. The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) has
achieved enormous progress in GWAS of psychiatric disorders, but they have not thus
far focused on the primary ADs. The recent establishment of the PGC Anxiety Disorders
Working Group will greatly facilitate accomplishment of the aims of this project, filling a
major gap in psychiatric genetics research. This study will provide new insights into
genetic mechanisms underlying the development of anxiety-spectrum disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10016911
- **Project number:** 5R01MH113665-04
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCE CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN M HETTEMA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $352,721
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-02 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10016911

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10016911, Genome-wide association studies of anxiety spectrum phenotypes: Furthering the PGC Anxiety Disorders Working Group (5R01MH113665-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10016911. Licensed CC0.

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