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Abstract
Objectives: Biomarkers are defined as anatomical, biochemical or physiological traits that are specific to certain disorders or syndromes. The objective of this paper is to summarise the current knowledge of biomarkers for anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Methods: Findings in biomarker research were reviewed by a task force of international experts in the field, consisting of members of the World Federation of Societies for Biological Psychiatry Task Force on Biological Markers and of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Anxiety Disorders Research Network.
Results: The present article (Part I) summarises findings on potential biomarkers in neuroimaging studies, including structural brain morphology, functional magnetic resonance imaging and techniques for measuring metabolic changes, including positron emission tomography and others. Furthermore, this review reports on the clinical and molecular genetic findings of family, twin, linkage, association and genome-wide association studies. Part II of the review focuses on neurochemistry, neurophysiology and neurocognition.
Conclusions: Although at present, none of the putative biomarkers is sufficient and specific as a diagnostic tool, an abundance of high-quality research has accumulated that will improve our understanding of the neurobiological causes of anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD.
Declaration of interest
Dr. Bandelow has been on the speakers’ and/or advisory board for Glaxo, Janssen, Lundbeck, Meiji-Seika, Otsuka, Pfizer and Servier.
Prof. Baldwin has attended advisory boards for Grunenthal, Eli Lilly, Lundbeck, Pfizer and Servier. His university has received grants from Lundbeck and Pfizer to support research into anxiety disorders.
Dr. Fineberg has received financial support in various forms from the following: Otsuka, Lundbeck, Glaxo-SmithKline, Servier, Cephalon, Astra Zeneca, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Medical Research Council (UK), National Institute for Health Research (UK), Wellcome Foundation, European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, UK College of Mental Health Pharmacists, British Association for Psychopharmacology, International College of Obsessive–Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, International Society for Behavioural Addiction, World Health Organization, Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Dr. Jarema has been on the speakers’ and/or advisory board for Angelini, Janssen, Lilly, Lundbeck and Servier.
Dr. Wichniak has been on the speakers’ and/or advisory board for Angelini, Janssen, Lundbeck and Servier.
The other authors have to declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Funding
The present work was supported by the ADRN within the ECNP-NI.
Katherina Domschke’s work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG), Collaborative Research Centre “Fear, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders” SFB-TRR-58, project C02.
Gwyneth Zai is funded by Canadian Institute of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship and W. Garfield Weston Doctoral Fellowship.