Study findings on anxiety disorders genetics are outlined in reports from McMaster University
2007 NOV 19 -- Research findings, 'The use of genetic epidemiology to guide classification in child and adult psychopathology,' are discussed in a new report. According to a study from Hamilton, Canada, "The goal of this paper is to illustrate the application of the tools of genetic epidemiology, particularly the family study method, to inform the classification of psychiatric disorders in adults and children. The first section describes family studies of adults designed to investigate the causes of comorbidity of anxiety and depression." "The analysis of familial traits provides stronger evidence for the validity of certain sub-types of anxiety and mood disorders that co-occur within the same individual and within families. The second section presents an example of the use of the family study method to examine the validity of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A review of these studies suggests that the most consistently familial traits in ASD are language and communication skills, insistence on sameness and non-verbal IQ. These are also the traits most commonly associated with the differentiation of autism from Asperger disorder and PDDNOS using both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies," wrote P. Szatmari and colleagues, McMaster University. The researchers concluded: "From these data, a new classification system of the ASDs is proposed based on these familial traits." Szatmari and colleagues published the results of their research in International Review of Psychiatry (The use of genetic epidemiology to guide classification in child and adult psychopathology. International Review of Psychiatry, 2007;19(5):483-96). For additional information, contact P. Szatmari, McMaster University, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The publisher of the journal International Review of Psychiatry can be contacted at: Carfax Publishing, Rankine Rd., Basingstoke RG24 8PR, Hants, England. Keywords: Canada, Hamilton, Anxiety Disorders Genetics, Anxiety Disorder, Mental Health, Psychiatric, Psychiatry, Psychopathology. This article was prepared by Mental Health Weekly Digest editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Mental Health Weekly Digest via NewsRx.com.
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