In Spain, 5 out of every 100 people suffer from some type of panic disorder and many of them experience frequent panic attacks. In some cases the problem acquires such proportions that it prevents them from leading a normal life since the fear of the anxiety attack occurring is so great that they lock themselves in their homes or avoid many social situations.
Science has shown that anxiety attacks are inherited
For several years now it was assumed that anxiety attacks had a genetic basis but now, for the first time, researchers from the Center for Genomic Regulation have found the main gene responsible for this problem: NTRK3.
This gene, which is responsible for encoding a protein essential for the formation of the brain, the survival of neurons and the establishment of connections between them, is also one of the factors that determines genetic susceptibility to developing panic disorder.
These researchers have discovered that deregulation of NTRK3 produces changes in the brain that cause inadequate functioning of fear memories. In other words: when this memory system is affected, we overreact to stimuli that do not represent a real danger, we overestimate the risk that a situation represents and we feel fear.
Basically, there are different regions of the brain responsible for processing environmental stimuli and discriminating whether they are dangerous or not. However, the amygdala and hippocampus play a crucial role in this entire process.
On the one hand, the hippocampus is responsible for the formation of memories and the processing of contextual information, which means that if we associate fear with a specific situation, it is likely that when we are exposed to it, the hippocampus will remind us of it and let’s react by having an anxiety crisis. On the other hand, the amygdala would be responsible for activating all the physiological reactions linked to fear.
What the NTRK3 gene would do is change the functioning of this system, causing the hippocampus to store memories of fear in situations that do not represent real dangers, so that we respond in an exaggerated way when we have to face them.
However, beyond the genetic component that panic disorders may have, it should be noted that this problem has a solution. In fact, between 70 and 90% of people who undergo therapy manage to control their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Remember that genetics is just one of many factors, it does not have to be decisive in your life.
Reference:
Santos, M. et. al. (2013) Hippocampal Hyperexcitability Underlies Enhanced Fear Memories in TgNTRK3, a Panic Disorder Mouse Model. Journal of Neuroscience; 33 (38): 15259-15271.
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