Investigating microstructure of white matter tracts as candidate endophenotypes of Social Anxiety Disorder - Findings from the Leiden Family Lab study on Social Anxiety Disorder (LFLSAD).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a mental illness with a complex, partially genetic background. Differences in characteristics of white matter (WM) microstructure have been reported in patients with SAD compared to healthy controls. Also, WM characteristics are moderately to highly heritable. Endophenotypes are measurable characteristics on the road from genotype to phenotype, putatively reflective of genetically based disease mechanisms. In search of candidate endophenotypes of SAD we used a unique sample of SAD patients and their family members of two generations to explore microstructure of WM tracts as candidate endophenotypes. We focused on two endophenotype criteria: co-segregation with social anxiety within the families, and heritability.

Methods

Participan

SUBMITTER: Roelofs EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7691726 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature