Genetics of anxiety: would the genome recognize the DSM?

The nosology of anxiety disorders has undergone substantial evolution over the past several decades. The modern classification of these disorders dates to the publication of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-III (DSM-III) in 1980, but the validity of the current diagnostic categories has been the subject of controversy. Genetic research can help clarify the boundaries of diagnostic categories by examining the etiologic relationships among them. The question posed in the title of this article asks to what degree the DSM-IV definitions of the anxiety disorders are supported by the evolving body of research on the genetic basis of pathologic anxiety. With DSM-V on the horizon, there is a renewed imperative to examine the structure of these disorders. In this article, we address this issue by, first, providing a brief update about the current status of genetic research on anxiety disorders and then considering whether the evidence suggests that genetic influences conform to or transcend DSM definitions. Finally, we discuss future directions for the genetic dissection of anxiety disorders.