A polymorphic genomic duplication on human chromosome 15 is a susceptibility factor for panic and phobic disorders

Anxiety disorders are complex and common psychiatric illnesses associated w ith considerable morbidity and social cost. We have studied the molecular b asis of the cooccurrence of panic and phobic disorders with joint laxity. W e have identified an interstitial duplication of human chromosome 15q24-26 (named DUP25), which is significantly associated with panic/agoraphobia/soc ial phobia/joint laxity in families, and with panic disorder in nonfamilial cases. Mosaicism, different forms of DUP25 within the same family, and abs ence of segregation of 15q24-26 markers with DUP25 and the psychiatric phen otypes suggest a non-Mendelian mechanism of disease-causing mutation. We pr opose that DUP25, which is present in 7% control subjects, is a susceptibil ity factor for a clinical phenotype that includes panic and phobic disorder s and joint laxity.