Scientists in Australia are launching the country’s largest study into anxiety disorders.
Around one in six Australians suffer from anxiety and researchers are recruiting thousands of volunteers to take part in a study on the genetic link to the mental health disorder.
Around 5000 adults who have been diagnosed with or treated for an anxiety disorder are required for the QIMR Berghofer Living with Anxiety (LwA) study, which is designed to improve diagnosis, management and treatment.
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Scientists are hoping to find a genetic reason for anxiety in order to develop more targeted treatment.
Anxiety is often treated with psychological therapy, however medicine such as antidepressants are also commonly prescribed.
Many treatments result in significant side effects such as a loss of appetite, issues with sleep and a loss of interest in sex.
“We know there’s quite a strong genetic component and we think if we can find the genes, we can find much better medication to tackle it,” QIMR Berghofer’s professor Nick Martin told 9News.
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“This is the goal of precision medicine, genotype someone from a spit sample and prescribe the best drug for them.”
Martin said adults involved in the study will need to fill out a questionaire online and send a spit sample in a tube.
“That will lead us to hopefully better cures,” he said.
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