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Evidence of Overlapping Genetic Diathesis of Panic Attacks and Gastrointestinal Disorders in a Sample of Male Twin Pairs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Mark W. Logue ,
Sarah R. Bauver ,
William S. Kremen ,
Carol E. Franz ,
Seth A. Eisen ,
Ming T. Tsuang ,
Michael D. Grant  and
Michael J. Lyons
Mark W. Logue*
Affiliation:
Genetics Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America. [email protected]
Sarah R. Bauver
Affiliation:
Genetics Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America.
William S. Kremen
Affiliation:
Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States of America.
Carol E. Franz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States of America.
Seth A. Eisen
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington D.C., United States of America.
Ming T. Tsuang
Affiliation:
Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States of America.
Michael D. Grant
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Boston University, Boston, United States of America.
Michael J. Lyons
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Boston University, Boston, United States of America.
*
*Address for correspondence: Mark Logue, Assistant Research Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, Genetics Program, 715 Albany St. L320D, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America.

Abstract

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We explored the comorbidity between panic attacks (PA), whose symptoms can include gastrointestinal discomfort, and gastrointestinal disorders (GD). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from 1,874 MZ and 1,498 DZ male–male twin pairs from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. PA and GD were associated (relative risk for GD = 2). The percentage of liability due to genetic factors was estimated to be 37% for PA and 31% for GD. There was significant correlation between the genetic risk factors for PA and GD (estimated r = .55, 95% CI of 34% to 82%) and no evidence of correlation between the environmental causes of PA and GD. Therefore, PA and GD comorbidity can be explained by overlapping genetic factors and not overlapping environmental factors. Although these data cannot identify a biological pathway for such a shared liability, it suggests the presence of GD may be informative for genetic studies of panic.

Keywords

Panic disorderpanic attacksgastrointestinal disordersirritable bowel syndromepeptic ulcer
Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , 01 February 2011 , pp. 16 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011