Phobic disorder
diseaseOn this page
Also known as phobia
Summary
Phobic disorder (MONDO:0003699) is a disease with 17 GWAS associations across 14 studies and 43 clinical trials. Top therapeutic interventions include cycloserine, thiopental, and escitalopram. A subtype of anxiety disorder — broader associated-gene and molecular evidence is on the parent page (see Disease family below).
At a glance
- GWAS associations: 17
- Clinical trials: 43
Clinical features
No curated clinical features (Orphanet) for this disease.
Identifiers
Disease identifiers
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | phobic disorder |
| Mondo ID | MONDO:0003699 |
| EFO | EFO:1001908 |
| MeSH | D010698 |
| DOID | DOID:591 |
| NCIT | C35420 |
| SNOMED CT | 386810004 |
| UMLS | C0349231 |
| MedGen | 83881 |
| Is cancer (heuristic) | no |
Also known as: phobia
Data availability: 17 GWAS associations (14 studies).
Disease family
This is a subtype of anxiety disorder. Genetic, therapeutic, and trial evidence is largely curated at the broader-term level — see the parent page for the associated-gene cohort and molecular evidence.
Classification path: disease › human disease › disease by developmental or physiological process › psychiatric disorder › mental disorder › anxiety disorder › phobic disorder
Related subtypes (9): separation anxiety disorder, neurocirculatory asthenia, generalized anxiety disorder, acute stress disorder, neurotic disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, mixed anxiety and depressive disorder
Subtypes (3): social phobia, agoraphobia, specific phobia
Genetics & variants
GWAS landscape
17 GWAS associations across 14 studies. Top hits map to 11 distinct genes (as reported by GWAS).
Top associations by p-value
| rsID | p-value | Gene | Risk allele | Odds ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rs145293873 | 5e-16 | NOD2 | C | 2.46 |
| rs529795989 | 1e-12 | JPH1 | T | 3.63 |
| rs541259179 | 3e-12 | LATS2 | C | 3.54 |
| rs539625516 | 3e-12 | NRXN3 | G | 2.44 |
| rs565639602 | 3e-12 | RASSF10 - BMAL1 | C | 2.81 |
| rs540750275 | 1e-11 | ACTR3B - LINC01287 | C | 2.79 |
| rs533496184 | 2e-11 | CMKLR1 | C | 3.92 |
| rs141293900 | 2e-11 | RIMBP2 | T | 3.02 |
| rs191893328 | 2e-11 | TCF12 | C | 1.88 |
| rs115398143 | 2e-11 | HMGB1P26 - LINC01682 | C | 3 |
| rs187607850 | 2e-11 | MT2P1 - TMPRSS11E | C | 3.21 |
| rs191449059 | 3e-11 | KCNK10 - SPATA7 | A | 1.94 |
| rs187449170 | 3e-11 | ASB7 - GCAWKR | C | 2.1 |
| rs113856149 | 3e-11 | LINC00970, LINC00970, DPT | G | 1.98 |
| rs193204822 | 4e-11 | RNU6-636P - RNA5SP43 | T | 2.3 |
| rs75215353 | 4e-11 | ECEL1P2 - ALPG | G | 2.96 |
| rs150545300 | 4e-11 | ENTPD2 | C | 3.03 |
Top studies (by case count)
| Study | Lead author | Year | Cases | Controls | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCST90726641 | Kim HI | 2026 | 8,139 | 35,887 | Exome sequencing and analysis of 44,028 British South Asians enriched for high autozygosity. |
| GCST90473272 | UK Biobank Whole-Genome Sequencing Consortium | 2025 | 4,080 | 454,360 | Whole-genome sequencing of 490,640 UK Biobank participants. |
| GCST90225530 | Brasher MS | 2023 | 2,060 | 500,421 | Testing associations between human anxiety and genes previously implicated by mouse anxiety models. |
| GCST90225524 | Brasher MS | 2023 | 1,809 | 500,672 | Testing associations between human anxiety and genes previously implicated by mouse anxiety models. |
| GCST90481774 | Verma A | 2024 | 1,488 | 447,280 | Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program. |
| GCST90079807 | Backman JD | 2021 | 1,328 | 384,738 | Exome sequencing and analysis of 454,787 UK Biobank participants. |
| GCST90083793 | Backman JD | 2021 | 1,328 | 384,738 | Exome sequencing and analysis of 454,787 UK Biobank participants. |
| GCST90079806 | Backman JD | 2021 | 804 | 386,882 | Exome sequencing and analysis of 454,787 UK Biobank participants. |
| GCST90083792 | Backman JD | 2021 | 804 | 386,882 | Exome sequencing and analysis of 454,787 UK Biobank participants. |
| GCST90480752 | Verma A | 2024 | 575 | 120,531 | Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program. |
Variant details and genetic-evidence tiers
Tier distribution (top 50 variants)
| Tier | Variants |
|---|---|
| Tier 1: coding | 2 |
| Tier 2: splice/UTR | 0 |
| Tier 3: regulatory | 0 |
| Tier 4: intronic/intergenic | 15 |
MAF distribution
| Bucket | Variants |
|---|---|
| common (>=0.05) | 0 |
| low_freq (0.01-0.05) | 0 |
| rare (<0.01) | 17 |
| unknown | 0 |
Functional consequences
| Consequence | Count |
|---|---|
| intron_variant | 10 |
| intergenic_variant | 5 |
| missense_variant | 2 |
Top variants
| rsID | Chr | Pos | Alleles | MAF | Consequence | Gene | p-value | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rs145293873 | 16 | 50711028 | C>T | 0 | missense_variant | NOD2 | 5e-16 | Tier 1: coding |
| rs529795989 | 8 | 74263002 | T>C,G | 0.001 | intron_variant | JPH1 | 1e-12 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs541259179 | 13 | 20977734 | C>T | 0 | intron_variant | LATS2 | 3e-12 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs539625516 | 14 | 78800080 | G>A,C | 0.003 | intron_variant | NRXN3 | 3e-12 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs565639602 | 11 | 13033684 | C>T | 0 | intergenic_variant | RASSF10 - BMAL1 | 3e-12 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs540750275 | 7 | 153318407 | C>T | 0.001 | intergenic_variant | ACTR3B - LINC01287 | 1e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs533496184 | 12 | 108317088 | C>A | 0 | intron_variant | CMKLR1 | 2e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs141293900 | 12 | 130447035 | T>C,G | 0.001 | intron_variant | RIMBP2 | 2e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs191893328 | 15 | 57104983 | C>G,T | 0.002 | intron_variant | TCF12 | 2e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs115398143 | 1 | 229776953 | C>T | 0 | intron_variant | HMGB1P26 - LINC01682 | 2e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs187607850 | 4 | 68437716 | C>A | 0.001 | intergenic_variant | MT2P1 - TMPRSS11E | 2e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs191449059 | 14 | 88327188 | A>C | 0.002 | intergenic_variant | KCNK10 - SPATA7 | 3e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs187449170 | 15 | 100723729 | C>T | 0.001 | intron_variant | ASB7 - GCAWKR | 3e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs113856149 | 1 | 168704597 | G>C | 0.002 | intron_variant | LINC00970, LINC00970, DPT | 3e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs193204822 | 1 | 37263909 | T>C | 0.001 | intron_variant | RNU6-636P - RNA5SP43 | 4e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs75215353 | 2 | 232395658 | G>A | 0.001 | intergenic_variant | ECEL1P2 - ALPG | 4e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs150545300 | 9 | 137051595 | C>G,T | 0 | missense_variant | ENTPD2 | 4e-11 | Tier 1: coding |
Genes & proteins
No associated-gene cohort resolved for this disease. Atlas builds the molecular and therapeutic sections — associated genes, protein families, druggability, pathways, interactions, and drug associations — by aggregating over a disease’s associated genes (resolved via GWAS / GenCC / ClinVar / CIViC), and none resolved here. This is expected for antibody-mediated, autoimmune, or otherwise non-gene-defined conditions; the curated evidence for this disease is its clinical features, GWAS susceptibility, and clinical trials (above).
Function
No pathway enrichment — requires an associated-gene cohort.
Therapeutics
Drugs indicated for this disease
0 approved, 1 in late-stage (phase 3) trials. Disease-direct ChEMBL indications, not inferred from the associated-gene cohort below.
| Drug | Development status |
|---|---|
| Cycloserine | Phase 3 (in late-stage trials) |
Earlier-phase candidates (phase 2, investigational — efficacy not yet established): Escitalopram, Hydrocortisone.
Clinical trials & evidence
Clinical trials
Clinical trials: 43.
Phase distribution (across all retrieved trials)
| Phase | Trials |
|---|---|
| Not specified | 29 |
| PHASE2 | 5 |
| PHASE2/PHASE3 | 3 |
| PHASE1/PHASE2 | 3 |
| PHASE4 | 2 |
| PHASE3 | 1 |
Top trials by phase / activity
| NCT | Phase | Status | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00184106 | PHASE4 | COMPLETED | RCT of Cognitive Therapy, Paroxetine, Combined CT and Paroxetine and Placebo |
| NCT01623583 | PHASE4 | TERMINATED | Effect of Including Synera® in Discussions on Dialysis Access Conversion in Patients With Needle Phobias |
| NCT00121069 | PHASE2/PHASE3 | COMPLETED | Study of Escitalopram in the Treatment of Specific Phobia |
| NCT00734422 | PHASE2/PHASE3 | COMPLETED | Facilitation of Fear Extinction With Yohimbine Hydrochloride in Phobic Participants |
| NCT01102803 | PHASE3 | COMPLETED | D-Cycloserine to Enhance Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Acrophobia |
| NCT02007694 | PHASE2/PHASE3 | COMPLETED | Noradrenergic Manipulation and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Phobic Participants |
| NCT00035412 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | St. John’s Wort Versus Placebo in Social Phobia |
| NCT00051220 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Treatment for Specific Phobias in Children |
| NCT00128401 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Use of an Antibiotic as an Enhancer for the Treatment of Social Phobia |
| NCT00591825 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | fMRI Study Examining Effects of D-cycloserine in Specific Phobia |
| NCT01574014 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | Glucocorticoid Treatment for Social Phobia |
| NCT02432703 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | A Safety and Efficacy Study of JNJ-42165279 in Participants With Social Anxiety Disorder |
| NCT02926352 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Effects of Low-Level Laser Stimulation With and Without Fear Extinction Training |
| NCT04620447 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Intelligent Virtual Reality Therapy System and Testing Its Clinical Efficacy |
| NCT06420557 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Unconscious Reduction of Fear Through Decoded Neuro-Reinforcement |
| NCT06776991 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Reward Processing and Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder |
| NCT06934525 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Implementing Team-Based Treatment for Pediatric Anxiety in Community Mental Health Settings |
| NCT07019389 | Not specified | ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION | Validation of Turkish Versions Child- and Parent-Rated Scales of Food Allergy Anxiety |
| NCT00000370 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Treatment of Social Phobia |
| NCT00104195 | Not specified | COMPLETED | A Research Study of How Teens With and Without an Anxiety Disorder Make Decisions |
| NCT00451750 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Cortisol in the Treatment of Phobias |
| NCT00767767 | Not specified | COMPLETED | The Effect of Intravenous Anesthetics on Fear Learning and Memory |
| NCT00801970 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Fear of Childbirth (Tokophobia) - Etiology, Essence and Clinical Implications |
| NCT01361074 | Not specified | COMPLETED | In Vivo Versus Augmented Reality Exposure for Small Animal Phobia |
| NCT01963806 | Not specified | COMPLETED | ACT-smart: Smartphone-supplemented iCBT for Social Phobia and/or Panic Disorder |
| NCT02020824 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Virtual Reality and Concept of Control in the Treatment of Acrophobia |
| NCT02223767 | Not specified | COMPLETED | TMS Augmented Exposure Therapy |
| NCT02310152 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Explanatory Clinical Trial of a Novel Parent Intervention for Childhood Anxiety (SPACE) |
| NCT02336802 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Threat-Avoidance Learning in Anxiety Patients |
| NCT02387047 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Validity of a Self-administered Questionnaire to Screen Phobia of Falling in the Elderly |
| NCT02810171 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Dimensional Brain Behavior Predictors of CBT Outcomes in Pediatric Anxiety |
| NCT03012035 | Not specified | COMPLETED | The Role of Treatment Expectation in Exposure Training With Spider Fearful Participants |
| NCT03188575 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Effectiveness & Cost-effectiveness of Internet-delivered Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders in IAPT |
| NCT03461016 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Smartphone-Based Exposure Treatment for Dental Anxiety |
| NCT03498599 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Neuroimaging of Pavlovian Fear Conditioning Processes in Patients With Pathological Anxiety |
| NCT03528109 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Improving Access to Child Anxiety Treatment |
| NCT03653923 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Neurophysiological Correlates of Exposition Therapy in Spider Phobia |
| NCT03655262 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Treating Phobia With Multivoxel Neuro-reinforcement |
| NCT03658252 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Efficacy of Targeted Intervention for Topical Steroid Phobia. |
| NCT03813823 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Biobehavioral Correlates of Acute Phobic Fear |
Drugs tested across these trials (top 30)
| Molecule | Max phase | Trials referencing |
|---|---|---|
| CYCLOSERINE | 4 | 3 |
| THIOPENTAL | 4 | 2 |
| ESCITALOPRAM | 4 | 1 |
| ST. JOHN’S WORT | 3 | 1 |
| LEVCYCLOSERINE | 2 | 3 |
| JNJ-42165279 | 2 | 1 |
Related Atlas pages
- Drugs: Cycloserine, Thiopental, Escitalopram, St. John’S Wort