Family Imaging Study of Children at Risk for Anxiety

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Family Imaging Study of Children at Risk for Anxiety: The proposed family study will employ functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methods to investigate the neural substrates of anxiety disorders in parents and their offspring as well as vulnerability factors that confer increased risk to develop anxiety disorders. Via a concurrently funded project, we enjoy access to the unique longitudinally followed Massachusetts General Hospital sample of parents and their adolescent offspring (N=446) at risk for panic disorder (PD), comparison offspring at risk for depression (MD), and children without vulnerability to mood or anxiety disorders. We propose to use established fMRI cognitive behavioral probes to test specific hypotheses regarding differences in amygdalo-frontal function related to behavioral inhibition (Bl) and parental panic disorder as factors that confer risk to develop anxiety disorders in adolescent offspring. In addition, we will investigate pathophysiology by examining differences in amygdalo-frontal function between adolescents with and without anxiety disorders while controlling for Bl and parental diagnosis. Finally, we will test for familial associations in amygdalo-frontal function between parents and their offspring. The proposed research promises to advance knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders from adolescence to adulthood and to elucidate the neural basis of risk factors for developing anxiety disorders, including behavioral inhibition and parental diagnosis.