Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 4 subunit (CHRNA4) and panic disorder: an association study

Anxiety disorders have been reported to be associated with low-voltage EEG (LVEEG). Some cases with LVEEG (approximately 1/3) have been linked to chromosome 20q13.2q13.3. In the same chromosomal region, the gene for the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 4 subunit (CHRNA4) has been located. We therefore tested the hypothesis that polymorphisms in the CHRNA4 gene show an allelic association with panic disorder. We examined the allele frequencies of three different CHRNA4 polymorphisms in patients with panic disorder and in healthy controls. No significant differences in the allele frequencies of these three polymorphisms were noted. This study does not support an association between panic disorder and the CHRNA4 gene.