Current Studies

Family Study of Affective and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders (enrolling)

The focus of this study is:
1) to investigate the frequency of mood disorders in families and
2) to assess the co-occurrence of mood disorders with anxiety disorders and migraine. Addressing these issues may help researchers better understand the nature and causes of mood, anxiety, and migraine conditions. Ideally, such information will eventually lead to better methods of treating and preventing disorders.

The study involves recruiting participants with any of the following disorders: bipolar I, bipolar II, major depression, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, migraine. People without any of these disorders will also be recruited as part of a comparison group. Once these individuals have been enrolled, their first-degree relatives (i.e., parents, children, spouses, siblings) will be identified and asked to join the study. Approximately 2,500 first-degree adult relatives and spouses and 750 children (ages 8-17) will be recruited in total. Study participants will be evaluated using structured interviews. Families enrolled in this study may also be invited to participate in the next phase of this research, which is designed to assess the genetic components involved in the expression of mood disorders. Families will be followed over time to determine whether members develop mood disorders, subtypes of disorders, or symptoms.

If you are interested in enrolling in this study or would like more information about the study, please contact familystudy@mail.nih.gov.