Genes linked to anxiety and related conditions
Official title: Genome-wide association studies of anxiety spectrum phenotypes: Furthering the PGC Anxiety Disorders Working Group
Funded at Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr · NIH-11134230 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for genetic differences that help explain why some adults develop anxiety disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $577,249 |
| NIH project number | 2R01MH113665-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134230 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, or other anxiety-spectrum conditions, and adults without anxiety who can provide genetic data, are the ideal contributors.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate symptom relief or changes to their current treatment are unlikely to benefit directly, since this is genetic research rather than a clinical treatment.
What this research studies
Researchers will combine genetic data from tens of thousands of adults with and without anxiety to pinpoint DNA differences tied to generalized anxiety, panic, and phobias. They will expand earlier work by adding many more participants and including people of non-European ancestry to make findings more broadly applicable. The team will use genome-wide scans and statistical meta-analysis to find susceptibility genes and genetic regions. The results will be used to improve prediction of clinical risk and guide future prevention and treatment research, although no treatments are given as part of this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could clarify causes of anxiety and help create better risk prediction tools and inform development of new prevention or treatment approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large GWAS by this working group found dozens of genetic signals across anxiety disorders, but turning those findings into treatments is still at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hettema, John M — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Hettema, John M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.