Research Interests
Mood and anxiety disorders that GEB researches include
- Major depression
- Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Social anxiety disorder/social phobia
- Panic disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The major research goals of GEB are
- To conduct studies of families to identify aspects of mental disorders that are inherited;
- To determine the reasons why mood and anxiety disorders may exist in association with other mental disorders (e.g., alcoholism, substance abuse) and medical disorders (migraine);
- To identify the early expression of mental disorders in the population by following children of parents with these disorders;
- To conduct pilot studies of programs aimed at preventing mood and anxiety disorders in youth;
- To develop and apply study designs and statistical methods to identify how an interaction of genes and the environment contribute to mental disorders. Studies include half-siblings, step-siblings, children of twins, and migrant studies (i.e., people who have moved from one geographic area to another).