The Genetic Basis of Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is one of the chronic and disabling anxiety disorders. There has been evidence for either genetic heterogeneity or complex inheritance, with environmental factor interactions and multiple single genes, in panic disorder's etiology. Linkage studies have implicated several chromosomal regions, but no research has replicated evidence for major genes involved in panic disorder. Researchers have suggested several neurotransmitter systems are related to panic disorder. However, to date no candidate gene association studies have established specific loci. Recently, researchers have emphasized genome-wide association studies. Results of two genome-wide association studies on panic disorder failed to show significant associations. Evidence exists for differences regarding gender and ethnicity in panic disorder. Increasing evidence suggests genes underlying panic disorder overlap, transcending current diagnostic boundaries. In addition, an anxious temperament and anxiety-related personality traits may represent intermediate phenotypes that predispose to panic disorder. Future research should focus on broad phenotypes, defined by comorbidity or intermediate phenotypes. Genome-wide association studies in large samples, studies of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, and pharmacogenetic studies are needed

Judges' perspective on the level of punishment

Whether or not courts impose an adequate level of punishment, is an important issue in terms of sustaining the social order, maintaining the judicial system's legitimacy, and designing anti-crime policies. To assess the level of sentencing the study surveyed longitudinally, the perspectives of Israeli judges on the issue over a period of three decades. The results show that, consistently, the judges assessed the level of punishment as quite lenient. The results also suggest that no corrective action was taken over the three decades to adjust for the lenient sentencing either by the court system or by the judges themselves, who have the discretion to impose more sever sentences. A regression analysis revealed that court instance and tenure as a judge were related to the judges' assessments of punishment. The practical and theoretical implications of all these results are discussed

To raise or not to raise : this is the question of judicial compensation

To be Published in EJLS Issue 14(2) in January 2023The issue of raising judicial compensation as a cornerstone for improving (or at least maintaining) the quality of the judiciary has been the subject of a longstanding debate engaging judges, politicians and scholars. Some argue strongly for raising compensations in order to attract highly qualified people to the bench while others argue that higher compensations are not a major concern for the judiciary. A "natural experiment" design was used here to examine the effect on judges of a rather unique real-life case of a reduction in judicial compensation in Israel. A group of presiding judges who received reduced compensations served as a "study group" and was compared to a group of presiding judges whose compensations were not reduced, serving as a "control group". Thus, this paper analyzes empirically a unique actual case of a change in judicial compensations, using a "natural" experimental design lending validity to the results. The results indicate that the lowered compensations did not affect the courts' quality and were not a major consideration for judges and lawyers (potential candidates) in their decision to join the bench. The results shed important empirical light on the "raising or not raising of judicial compensation” debate

Cannabis controversies: how genetics can inform the study of comorbidity

AIMS: To review three key and controversial comorbidities of cannabis use – other illicit drug use, psychosis and depression as well as suicide, from a genetically informed perspective. DESIGN: Selective review. RESULTS: Genetic factors play a critical role in the association between cannabis use, particularly early-onset use and use of other illicit drugs, psychosis and depression as well as suicide, albeit via differing mechanisms. For other illicit drugs, while there is strong evidence for shared genetic influences, residual association that is attributable to causal or person-specific environmental factors cannot be ruled out. For depression, common genetic influences are solely responsible for the association with cannabis use but for suicidal attempt, evidence for person-specific factors persists. Finally, even though rates of cannabis use are inordinately high in those with psychotic disorders, there is no evidence of shared genetic etiologies underlying this comorbidity. Instead, there is limited evidence that adolescent cannabis use might moderate the extent to which diathesis influences psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Overlapping genetic influences underlie the association between early-onset cannabis use and other illicit drug use as well as depression and suicide. For psychosis, mechanisms other than shared genetic influences might be at play