Genome-Wide Linkage Scan for Loci Predisposing to Social Phobia: Evidence for a Chromosome 16 Risk Locus

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Social phobia is a common, sometimes disabling, fear of situations that might entail scrutiny by others. Several anxiety disorders, including social phobia, are genetically influenced. Genetic linkage analysis can provide the means to identify genomic locations harboring susceptibility loci for genetically influenced disorders. Identifying loci for social phobia was the goal of this study. METHOD: The authors conducted a genome-wide linkage scan, i.e., tested enough genetic markers to query the entire genome, in 17 American pedigrees (163 subjects) ascertained through probands with panic disorder. Several anxiety disorders segregate in these families; diagnoses were based on structured interviews. A total of 422 markers (404 autosomal, 18 on the X chromosome) with an average spacing of less than 10 centimorgans were genotyped. Multipoint lod score and nonparametric (Zlr score) linkage analyses for social phobia were completed with Allegro and Genehunter X software. RESULTS: Evidence for linkage...

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