Molecular switch affects panic disorder
Friday, April 15, 2011 - 08:01
in Biology & Nature
Panic disorder sufferers will tell you the attacks are some of the most sudden, frightening and uncomfortable experiences ever. But what makes some people susceptible to these attacks and others not? Studies of twins point to hereditary factors playing a key role in 40% of cases. How genes are involved in panic disorder risk is unclear, however. A European group of researchers has implicated one type of molecular switch, short or micro ribonucleic acid molecules (miRNAs) in panic disorder. The research, funded in part by the EU, is presented in the journal Biological Psychiatry.