Genetics of anxiety disorders

Genetic research is moving beyond basic questions about the relative influence of genes and environment on anxiety disorders. Issues such as comorbidity, gene–environment interplay and the role of cognitive biases are now coming to the fore. This contribution provides an overview of the twin literature relating to these questions and then moves on to show how molecular genetic work – with the specific example of studies using the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) – has also begun to address these issues. Studies taking a more mechanistic approach, such as incorporating gene–environment interplay or measures of specific cognitive processes, are likely to be crucial in aiding our understanding of the development, treatment and prevention of these disorders.