GENESiS: creating a composite index of the vulnerability to anxiety and depression in a community-based sample of siblings

Twin Res. 2000 Dec;3(4):316-22. doi: 10.1375/136905200320565292.

Abstract

There is considerable evidence for a unitary and dimensional view of the genetic vulnerability to symptoms of anxiety and depression. The GENESiS (Genetic Environmental-Nature of Emotional States in Siblings) Study aims to use a multivariate approach to detect genetic loci that contribute to individual differences in this vulnerability dimension. The study used the UK General Practice Research Framework to generate a community-based sample of siblings. Questionnaire measures of anxiety/depression included the short form of the neuroticism scale from the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-N), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the anxious arousal and high positive affect subscales from the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ-AA and MASQ-HPA). Genetic model-fitting of 2658 unselected sibships provided evidence for a single common genetic (familial) factor that accounted for a substantial proportion of the genetic variances and covariances of these four measures. Using the parameter estimates of this model, we constructed a composite index of this common genetic factor. This index, which has a sib correlation of 0.22, will be used as a quantitative phenotype in the molecular genetic phase of GENESiS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • Anxiety / genetics*
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / genetics*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Environment
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Family*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Genetic
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Personality / genetics*
  • Personality Inventory
  • Population Surveillance
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Quantitative Trait, Heritable*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sampling Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology