Title: Anxiety Disorders in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: Genome-wide association study and meta-analyses

Speaker: Meghana Janardhanan , PhD Student, Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University

Date: Tuesday, April 14th, 2026,

Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm  

Location: Theatre C  [IN-PERSON meeting]

Description: 

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common classes of mental disorders worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 30%. Characterized by excessive and enduring fear, anxiety or avoidance of perceived threats and panic attacks, anxiety disorders represent various expressions of underlying dysregulation of the basic threat-response systems. Given the prevalence, associated impairments, and significant societal and economic impact of these disorders, identifying their risk factors is of substantial interest. Evidence from family and twin studies suggests that genetic variation contributes significantly to susceptibility, accounting for approximately 30–50% of the variance in risk. Although early linkage and candidate gene studies did not identify consistent susceptibility loci, genome-wide association studies using large-scale samples have begun to reveal several associated genetic loci and shared genetic influences across anxiety-related traits. Advancing this research, this study focuses on identifying additional loci and examining the contribution of genetic factors to anxiety disorders through a genome-wide analysis in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, followed by meta-analysis with other cohorts.