METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING INCREASED RISK OF ANXIETY DISORDERS

摘要

The present invention is for methods for identifying a human having an increased risk for anxiety disorders. The method involves genotyping the human for a specific brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and/or administering a fear conditioning procedure while measuring fear, and administering an extinction procedure while measuring fear. The method can also involve comparing/MRI images of the amygdala of the human acquired during conditioning and extinction and determining if the human is unresponsive to extinction therapy by noting heightened and non-declining activity in the amygdala during extinction.