Question:
Thanks Jon and Philip. Sorry… I hadn’t heard of this one. Interesting. Thanks. Mally :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations" This comes from The Telegraph – one of the UK’s better newspapers:- Discovery could lead to pills for anxiety By Robert Uhlig Technology Correspondent (Filed: 23/08/2001) CLAUSTROPHOBICS, the anxious and the terminally shy could soon be taking mood-altering pills to combat their fears, according to scientists who have discovered a genetic mutation linked to most panic attacks and anxiety disorders. A Spanish team that was studying families with a history of problems such as panic disorders, agoraphobia and social phobia discovered most shared a common genetic characteristic. In nine out of 10 of the affected family members, a small region on chromosome 15 was duplicated, said Xavier Estivill, who led the research at the Centre for Medical and Molecular Biology in Barcelona. When the researchers then double-checked their findings with 70 unrelated people who suffered anxiety attacks, they found that even more – 97 per cent – had the characteristic, which they christened DUP25. Monica Gratacos, a member of the team, said that the duplicated region contained more than 60 genes. So far, 23 of these genes have been identified, including genes for proteins that control communication and interaction between nerve cells. The researchers believe that too much of one or more of these proteins might make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations. According to some estimates, more than 10 per cent of people suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. The team is now trying to identify exactly which genes on DUP25 lead to anxiety disorders. If they succeed, it might be possible to produce drugs that suppress either the genes or their protein products and so control common anxieties and fears. However, Dr Gratacos said it would "take at least five or 10 years" before the exact genes were identified and phobias could be treated with drugs. — Jon Guite Live support and chat for anxiety and panic disorders daily at #anx/pan 
For details see http://www.skcldv.demon.co.uk/anxpanw.htm
Response:
Thanks Jon and Philip. Sorry… I hadn’t heard of this one. Interesting. Thanks. Mally :)
Actually I can’t say that I can tie these two results together (is this English?). I wish someone would explain. In other words: time for The Mighty Margrove to show up and enlighten us…. Margraves, can you explain a but more about the Bradwejn panic gene and this Spanish one? Inquiring minds want to know! Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations" This comes from The Telegraph – one of the UK’s better newspapers:- Discovery could lead to pills for anxiety By Robert Uhlig Technology Correspondent (Filed: 23/08/2001) CLAUSTROPHOBICS, the anxious and the terminally shy could soon be taking mood-altering pills to combat their fears, according to scientists who have discovered a genetic mutation linked to most panic attacks and anxiety disorders. A Spanish team that was studying families with a history of problems such as panic disorders, agoraphobia and social phobia discovered most shared a common genetic characteristic. In nine out of 10 of the affected family members, a small region on chromosome 15 was duplicated, said Xavier Estivill, who led the research at the Centre for Medical and Molecular Biology in Barcelona. When the researchers then double-checked their findings with 70 unrelated people who suffered anxiety attacks, they found that even more – 97 per cent – had the characteristic, which they christened DUP25. Monica Gratacos, a member of the team, said that the duplicated region contained more than 60 genes. So far, 23 of these genes have been identified, including genes for proteins that control communication and interaction between nerve cells. The researchers believe that too much of one or more of these proteins might make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations. According to some estimates, more than 10 per cent of people suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. The team is now trying to identify exactly which genes on DUP25 lead to anxiety disorders. If they succeed, it might be possible to produce drugs that suppress either the genes or their protein products and so control common anxieties and fears. However, Dr Gratacos said it would "take at least five or 10 years" before the exact genes were identified and phobias could be treated with drugs. — Jon Guite Live support and chat for anxiety and panic disorders daily at #anx/pan For details see http://www.skcldv.demon.co.uk/anxpanw.htm
Response:
This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations" This was posted just recently, but here you go….. | National Post Friday, May 21, 1999
No no, this is *different* research. *Und* from Europe this time 
) It’s been posted here as well and I’m sure it will turn up at Google. P. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – | | Researchers identify gene that causes panic disorders | | Brad Evenson | National Post | | TORONTO – After 12 years of searching, a team of Ottawa and Toronto researchers | has found the genetic abnormality that causes panic disorders. | | The attacks afflict up to two million Canadians at some point in their lives, | triggered by such harmless events as crossing bridges, taking a shower, or even | seeing a butterfly. | | The symptoms include shortness of breath, heart palpitation, nausea, sweating, | and intense fear and may last up to 10 minutes. | | The identified gene produces a brain chemical called CCK, which transmits the | fear signal through the body, as well as the receptors on nerve cells that | recognize this chemical signal. When the gene is defective, the receptors are | too sensitive to CCK and make a person prone to panic attacks. | | "This suggests that those individuals with this gene are at risk for panic | disorder," says Dr. Jacques Bradwejn, chief of psychiatry at Royal Ottawa | Hospital. | | The researchers say the finding, to be published on Saturday in the Journal of | Molecular Psychiatry, an American publication, may lead to a gene-based therapy | and will help identify people at risk of the disorder. | | "Up until now, there was a stigma associated with this condition — that the | individual was unable to cope with day-to-day stress or was simply emotionally | weak," says Dr. Diana Koszycki, a Royal Ottawa Hospital researcher who is | co-author of the study, along with Dr. Jim Kennedy, head of neurogenetics at the | Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto. | | The discovery confirms something psychiatrists have known for decades: Fear runs | in families. | | First identified as a medical condition in 1980, panic or anxiety disorders | afflict roughly twice as many women as men. Most people have their "triggering" | attack in their late teens or early 20s, when the brain is fully developed. | | "The first panic attack is usually remembered as an intensely traumatic event," | says Dr. Bradwejn. | | "It is the subsequent fear of having a repeat panic attack that may trigger | another one, or forces the individual to retreat somewhere that will allow | escape if a panic attack happens." | | About 50% of people suffering the attacks go on to develop agoraphobia, a | paralyzing fear of the public or open spaces, as well as depression and | alcoholism. Often, the event that initially triggers the panic is something | innocuous. | | "One day I was in the shower, and I don’t know what happened," says Shelley | Mathers, a 28-year-old Ottawa mother. "I just felt like my body was numb and I | was unable to breathe and I had this feeling that I was going to die." Mally :)
Response:
This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations"
This comes from The Telegraph – one of the UK’s better newspapers:- Discovery could lead to pills for anxiety By Robert Uhlig Technology Correspondent (Filed: 23/08/2001) CLAUSTROPHOBICS, the anxious and the terminally shy could soon be taking mood-altering pills to combat their fears, according to scientists who have discovered a genetic mutation linked to most panic attacks and anxiety disorders. A Spanish team that was studying families with a history of problems such as panic disorders, agoraphobia and social phobia discovered most shared a common genetic characteristic. In nine out of 10 of the affected family members, a small region on chromosome 15 was duplicated, said Xavier Estivill, who led the research at the Centre for Medical and Molecular Biology in Barcelona. When the researchers then double-checked their findings with 70 unrelated people who suffered anxiety attacks, they found that even more – 97 per cent – had the characteristic, which they christened DUP25. Monica Gratacos, a member of the team, said that the duplicated region contained more than 60 genes. So far, 23 of these genes have been identified, including genes for proteins that control communication and interaction between nerve cells. The researchers believe that too much of one or more of these proteins might make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations. According to some estimates, more than 10 per cent of people suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. The team is now trying to identify exactly which genes on DUP25 lead to anxiety disorders. If they succeed, it might be possible to produce drugs that suppress either the genes or their protein products and so control common anxieties and fears. However, Dr Gratacos said it would "take at least five or 10 years" before the exact genes were identified and phobias could be treated with drugs. — Jon Guite Live support and chat for anxiety and panic disorders daily at #anx/pan For details see http://www.skcldv.demon.co.uk/anxpanw.htm
Response:
This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations"
Response:
This was a quote in this months Men’s Health Mag. PHOBIA GENE DISCOVERED "People who suffer anxiety disorders could soon be taking mood altering pills to allay their fears, according to Spanish scientists. They found that 97% of phobics have an identical genetic mutation. It is believed that too many protein genes in the area make the brain oversensitive to stressful situations"
This was posted just recently, but here you go….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -| National Post Friday, May 21, 1999 | | Researchers identify gene that causes panic disorders | | Brad Evenson | National Post | | TORONTO – After 12 years of searching, a team of Ottawa and Toronto researchers | has found the genetic abnormality that causes panic disorders. | | The attacks afflict up to two million Canadians at some point in their lives, | triggered by such harmless events as crossing bridges, taking a shower, or even | seeing a butterfly. | | The symptoms include shortness of breath, heart palpitation, nausea, sweating, | and intense fear and may last up to 10 minutes. | | The identified gene produces a brain chemical called CCK, which transmits the | fear signal through the body, as well as the receptors on nerve cells that | recognize this chemical signal. When the gene is defective, the receptors are | too sensitive to CCK and make a person prone to panic attacks. | | "This suggests that those individuals with this gene are at risk for panic | disorder," says Dr. Jacques Bradwejn, chief of psychiatry at Royal Ottawa | Hospital. | | The researchers say the finding, to be published on Saturday in the Journal of | Molecular Psychiatry, an American publication, may lead to a gene-based therapy | and will help identify people at risk of the disorder. | | "Up until now, there was a stigma associated with this condition — that the | individual was unable to cope with day-to-day stress or was simply emotionally | weak," says Dr. Diana Koszycki, a Royal Ottawa Hospital researcher who is | co-author of the study, along with Dr. Jim Kennedy, head of neurogenetics at the | Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto. | | The discovery confirms something psychiatrists have known for decades: Fear runs | in families. | | First identified as a medical condition in 1980, panic or anxiety disorders | afflict roughly twice as many women as men. Most people have their "triggering" | attack in their late teens or early 20s, when the brain is fully developed. | | "The first panic attack is usually remembered as an intensely traumatic event," | says Dr. Bradwejn. | | "It is the subsequent fear of having a repeat panic attack that may trigger | another one, or forces the individual to retreat somewhere that will allow | escape if a panic attack happens." | | About 50% of people suffering the attacks go on to develop agoraphobia, a | paralyzing fear of the public or open spaces, as well as depression and | alcoholism. Often, the event that initially triggers the panic is something | innocuous. | | "One day I was in the shower, and I don’t know what happened," says Shelley | Mathers, a 28-year-old Ottawa mother. "I just felt like my body was numb and I | was unable to breathe and I had this feeling that I was going to die."
Mally :)
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