Genetics

For decades, the familial nature of psychiatric syndromes has been appreciated, but only recently have the tools and methods become available to systematically and reliably identify the specific variations in the genetic code that carry risk for disorders ranging from schizophrenia, to bipolar disorder to ADHD and autism. These developments are contributing to a host of new scientific opportunities, from elaborating the neurobiological mechanisms of serious mental illness, to clarifying the interplay of genes and environment in determining risk and resilience. These advances will increasingly call upon clinicians to have a solid foundation in genetics and to keep a pace with recent advances in the field. In this chapter, we review some of the fundamental principles of human genetics, describe the contribution of genetic epidemiology to understanding psychopathology, consider recent technological and methodological advances in efforts both to identify genes contributing to psychiatric disorders and to elucidate the interplay of genes and environment, and address the relevance of recent findings for the practicing clinician