Abstract: The present invention is for methods for identifying a human having an increased risk for anxiety disorders. The method involves genotyping the human for a specific brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and/or administering a fear conditioning procedure while measuring fear, and administering an extinction procedure while measuring fear. The method can also involve comparing/MRI images of the amygdala of the human acquired during conditioning and extinction and determining if the human is unresponsive to extinction therapy by noting heightened and non-declining activity in the amygdala during extinction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient suffering from a condition that is susceptible to treatment with a compound that activates the brain serotonin system is susceptible or resistant to treatment with the compound. The method includes establishing whether the patient is a pre-adult, a transition age patient, or an adult and observing whether the genome of the patient contains at least one copy of a BDNF allele having a genetic alteration. The method further includes correlating the presence of the allele containing the genetic alteration with susceptibility or resistance of the patient to the treatment with the compound, wherein a pre-adult patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being susceptible to the treatment; a transition age patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being susceptible or resistant to the treatment; and an adult patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being resistant to the treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is for methods for identifying a human having an increased risk for anxiety disorders. The method involves genotyping the human for a specific brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and/or administering a fear conditioning procedure while measuring fear, and administering an extinction procedure while measuring fear. The method can also involve comparing/MRI images of the amygdala of the human acquired during conditioning and extinction and determining if the human is unresponsive to extinction therapy by noting heightened and non-declining activity in the amygdala during extinction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient suffering from a condition that is susceptible to treatment with a compound that activates the brain serotonin system is susceptible or resistant to treatment with the compound. The method includes establishing whether the patient is a pre-adult, a transition age patient, or an adult and observing whether the genome of the patient contains at least one copy of a BDNF allele having a genetic alteration. The method further includes correlating the presence of the allele containing the genetic alteration with susceptibility or resistance of the patient to the treatment with the compound, wherein a pre-adult patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being susceptible to the treatment; a transition age patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being susceptible or resistant to the treatment; and an adult patient containing the genetic alteration is correlated as being resistant to the treatment.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining whether a patient suffering from a condition that is susceptible to treatment with a compound that activates the brain serotonin system is resistant to treatment with the compound. The method comprises observing whether the genome of the patient contains at least one copy of the BDNF allele containing a genetic alteration, and correlating the presence of the allele containing the genetic alteration with patients who are resistant to treatment with the compound. In another embodiment, the method comprises observing whether the patient expresses a BDNF protein containing an amino acid alteration, and correlating the expression of the BDNF protein containing the amino acid alteration with patients who are resistant to treatment with the compound.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for screening and identifying molecules that transactivate a neurotrophin receptor and mediate neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins which uses one or a combination of three different assays. The assays involve detecting the phosphorylation of a neurotrophin receptor, detecting the phosphorylation of phosphotidylinositol 3?-kinase or Akt enzyme, and assessing neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for screening and identifying molecules that transactivate a neurotrophin receptor and mediate neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins which uses one or a combination of three different assays. The assays involve detecting the phosphorylation of a neurotrophin receptor, detecting the phosphorylation of phosphotidylinositol 3′-kinase or Akt enzyme, and assessing neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins.